Forgotten Memories
by Tarlia
Summary: This is my very first FF8 fanfic, consisting of 24 chapters total. Prequel to FF8 - The story might not be totally correct according to the game, but it's basically my view of the events before FF8.
1. Chapters 01 - 05

# **Final Fantasy VIII - Forgotten Memories**

A Fan Fiction by Tarlia. Prequel to Final Fantasy VIII.

All characters and names are Copyright Square.

_Chapter 1:_

Night was closing in on Deling city. In the night club below Deling Hotel, people had begun to gather and order drinks. All of them were waiting for the night's big event: Julia Heartilly was going to sing her new hit, "Eyes On Me". Earlier, she used to sing there every Friday and Saturday night , but after she became popular, she'd only perform once in a while. Most of the time, she was busy recording new songs or she was traveling around Galbadia to sing in various other cities.

Julia herself was sitting by one of the tables, running the tip of her finger against the edge of her glass, which was filled with the finest red wine the place could offer. She had barely touched the expensive liquid. People didn't seem to notice how she sighed and stared emptily down at the surface of the table.

"Mind if I join you?"

Startled by the voice, Julia turned around, finding herself gazing up at a young man. She had seen him before. He used to be at the night club whenever she performed. Just like Laguna had before… But back then she had just played the piano, she didn't sing.

Laguna… Where had he gone? This gentleman here seemed to be a few years older than him… Perhaps in his early thirties. He was rather handsome and was dressed in a Galbadian uniform, one which only the higher ranking officers would be allowed to use.

"If it's a bad time, I'll leave you alone."

Julia realized she had been staring, "Oh no. I'm sorry. Please, sit down."

The man smiled and lowered to his seat on the other side of the table, "I didn't want to seem pushy… I just wanted to tell you how much I admire you. And your talent."

Shrugging lightly and smiling shyly in return, Julia leaned her elbows on the table and replied, "Thank you. This is all like a dream coming true."

"You are going to sing 'Eyes On Me' tonight, right? That one is my favorite."

The woman nodded. He really did admire her, although more for her looks than her singing. Julia wasn't more than 22 years old at the most. She had blackish brown, shiny hair and the most beautiful, brown eyes he had ever seen.

"I heard it was the first song with lyrics that you wrote… Tell me, what was it that inspired you?"

Julia looked a bit uncomfortable. She sipped her wine and bit her lower lip for a second, "Well, there was this man… a soldier. He often came to hear me play the piano.."

"Like I come to hear you sing now?"

"Yes… kind of like that. Just the way he smiled, the way he talked… the way he looked at me. His eyes…," she sighed, "But he left. Went off to war, and I haven't seen him since."

"That must be tough… Losing someone like that," the man before her offered, sincerity in his voice, "So now you're all alone?"

"Yes, I-"

"Julia Heartilly! You're up next!" called a voice behind them.

Julia slowly rose, brushing off her dress, "I have to go."

"Too bad," the man got up as well, taking her hand without warning and gently pressing his lips to it in a soft kiss, "It was a pleasure talking to you. Maybe I will see you around some other day?"

Somewhat anxiously, Julia drew her hand back and nodded, then started to leave. But after taking a couple of steps towards the stage, she stopped and looked back at him, "I didn't catch your name?"

"Phillip. General Phillip Caraway," he grinned at her.

General at such a young age? She was impressed. Smiling, more warmly than before, she said, "Yes. Maybe I'll see you around some other day."

_Chapter 2:_

"…And do you, Raine Leonhart, take Laguna Loire as your lawfully wedded husband, till death do you part?"

The old priest gazed at the couple before him. All of the citizens of Winhill had gathered in church today for this event, even those who disliked the young soldier that had settled down in their village. Raine looked lovingly into her husband-to-be's steel blue eyes, smiling that gentle smile that Laguna adored so much. She was wearing a simple, but beautiful white wedding dress, pink flowers adorning her dark hair. Laguna had been allowed to use the black suit that Raine's father had used when he got married. Behind them, Ellone was standing, holding a big bunch of flowers.

"I do."

"Then I announce you husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Loire. You may kiss the bride!"

Laguna smiled warmly and lowered his head, his lips meeting his new wife's in a kiss.

"Hurrah!" Ellone yelled, throwing the flowers she was holding at the newly wedded couple. The small crowd inside the church cheered.

Finally letting go, Laguna looked down at Raine. She leaned her head lightly against his chest, whispering, "A year ago, I never thought I'd do this. What's happened to me?"

"You just fell in love with my irresistible charm," he replied, grinning. She frowned at him and playfully slapped his shoulder as they started walking out of the church.

Something had happened to him, as well. Laguna, the restless soldier who had longed to travel the world, was finally ready to settle down. Or was he? He had fallen for Raine's warm personality, her caring and playful, yet sometimes deadly serious moods. The way she had bravely stood up against the Esthar soldiers and taken care of little Ellone when her parents had been killed. But still, there was this aching need inside of him to fulfill his dream: To see the world and write about it. Sure, he occasionally sent off articles to Timber Maniacs, but it wasn't the same.

When they reached the sunshine outside, Kiros walked up and patted him on the shoulder, "Congratulations, man. I never thought you'd do it."

"Well, you better start believin'. I ain't letting go of this one," Laguna answered slyly and winked. 

"Uncle Laguna, Raine and Elle are all gonna be together!" cried Ellone, giggling and hugging Laguna's leg. 

He took her in her arms and lifted her up, giving her a hug, "That's right, honey!"

Raine smiled and held Laguna's arm, mouthing 'I love you'.

He kissed her forehead and smiled back. He was happy. He was content. But somewhere, in the back of his mind, there was this voice that kept reminding him… 'I always thought Julia would be a part of this.'

_Chapter 3:_

_March 3, Deling city._

"She's beautiful, Julia. Just like you. I think she has your eyes," General Caraway was sitting next to his wife's bed, stroking her hair gently.

Julia smiled tiredly. In her arms, she was holding her newborn baby girl, "Yes, she's beautiful, Phillip… Our own little treasure. She shall be loved greatly."

Sighing quietly, she held the infant close to her and pressed her nose against the soft baby skin of her daughter's cheek. She was happy. She was content. Indeed, she had accomplished all the things she had hoped for in life. Julia Caraway was a famous singer, she had a caring and wealthy husband, and now she was a mother. General Caraway was taking good care of her. Still, there were a few things that annoyed her…

Like how he always saw his own job as more important than hers. Sure, he was the leader of the Galbadian army, but he didn't have to make it so obvious that he thought her singing was good for nothing. Or how he tended to treat her like a child, incapable of doing anything on her own. Like a pretty doll that was only there to look at…

But she shouldn't complain. She and her daughter were safe there, in his mansion. They were cared for, they were loved. 

Laguna would never have treated her like a child… He had respect for her feelings, for her music. Somehow, when she looked at her baby, she kept thinking for herself 'I always thought Laguna would be a part of this…'

"What are we going to name her?" Caraway's sudden question made Julia snap out of her thoughts. She looked up at her husband, confused for a moment.

"Well, you said you would think of a girl's name, and I would think of a boy's name… And since it's a girl…," he said.

"How do you feel about Rinoa?"

"Rinoa?"

"Yes, I've been thinking about that name for a long time… It suits her, don't you think?"

"Rinoa… Rinoa Caraway. Yes, you're right. It sounds good," he smiled and kissed Julia gently on her lips, then took the baby out of his wife's arms and held her. The newly named Rinoa started crying softly, but calmed down quickly as her father rocked her in his arms, "Shhh… Don't worry about a thing, little one. I'll take care of you."

_Chapter 4:_

_ _

_ _

_March 3, Winhill._

_ _

"You bastards!! Let go of me! Let go of HER!" Laguna's voice rang through the air. He kicked, struggled and squirmed, but there was no use. The four Esthar soldiers had a firm grip on him. He could only watch as two other soldiers carried his little girl away.

"Uncle Laguna! Help me!" Ellone cried desperately. Raine stood in the door, her dark eyes wide with fear as she watched. She wanted to help, but she knew she couldn't do much against the strong soldiers. And lately, she had felt so tired. Tired, and sometimes, she would feel dizzy and nauseous in the mornings. However, she hadn't dared to tell Laguna. She didn't want to worry him.

Suddenly, Kiros rounded the corner and ran straight into the horrible scene. He had been fighting a few Bite Bugs that had made their way into the village when he heard the screams. Immediately understanding what was going on, he attacked one of the soldiers holding Laguna. The Estharians were caught by surprise, and Kiros' sharp knives piercing their skin quickly had them let go of Laguna. Offering a grateful look to his friend, Laguna sprang towards the soldiers holding Ellone while Kiros tried to take care of the four others. 

Seeing this could prove to be a problem, one of the soldiers blew in a whistle he had around his neck. The whining sound alerted a group of ten soldiers just outside the village, and quickly, they stormed in to help out. 

Laguna had managed to knock out one of the soldiers that had been holding Ellone, but the other was running away, still holding the little girl. Laguna was quick to his feet, following. Behind him, he heard Kiros call out a scream of warning, followed by a dull 'thump'. Looking over his shoulder, Laguna felt the fear well up in him again as he saw Kiros lie lifelessly on the ground, knocked out cold, and eleven soldiers heading in his direction. They were upon him before he knew it, and without his gun, there wasn't much he could do.

Again, Laguna tried to struggle. He cursed as they held him, but was silenced when he received a hard kick in the stomach. As he tried to stand up again, another kick was delivered, and he sank to the ground in a heap.

"Laguna!" Raine yelled out behind him. The soldiers kept kicking him a few times and shoved their weapons into his back, until he lied still, groaning in pain.

Then, the light, terrified voice of Ellone stirred new life and will within him, "Uncle Laguna!" she cried, desperate and frightened beyond words. The young ex-soldier tried to gather back to his feet, "Elle!" he called. A soldier kicked him again, and he fell back down, "Son of a bitch!" Another kick.

"Shut up if you know what's good for you," the soldier growled.

"Uncle Laguna!"

Laguna could hear she was crying. He could feel the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, and his vision was blurred as he looked up, just in time to see the soldier holding Ellone disappear around the corner, out of the village.

"Let her go! Please!" Yet another time, Laguna tried to get up, and yet again, he was forced back down. Coughing, he said in a weak voice, "For God's sake, she's only four years old… She's only a little girl.. Please.." His face hit the dusty ground. 

Assured that Laguna wouldn't be able to cause any more trouble, the Esthar soldiers left him. Raine, who had been helping Kiros get back up, quickly ran over to her husband the moment the soldiers were out of sight.

"Laguna… My God, are you okay??" she asked, flopping down on her knees next to him. Shortly behind her, Kiros appeared. Laguna blinked a couple of times, slowly, and with great effort, lifting his head from the ground. Blood was dripping from his nose, "Those bas.. bastards.. they took her… I tried, Raine, I tried…," he whispered. Kiros rubbed the back of his head where a huge bump was located, frowning, "It wasn't your fault, man. They were too many."

Raine lowered her head against Laguna's back and started sobbing. Laguna closed his eyes again and, painfully, rolled over to his side, "I swear… I'll get her back. Raine, you hear me? I'll get her back."

_Chapter 5:_

_ _

_ _

"Promise me you'll be careful."

Raine looked deeply into Laguna's eyes, her arms holding him so hard he hardly could breathe. He smiled weakly, kissing her cheek, "I already told you, about five times, that I'll be careful. Relax, honey. You know me. I'm always careful," he winked.

Not impressed by his attempt to be cool, Raine continued, her expression stiff and concerned, "Promise me you'll be back."

"I will come back, and I will bring Ellone with me. I promise," Laguna said quietly, sincerely, his playful smile having disappeared.

"Hey, Laguna. We have to go. We were supposed to meet Ward by the river by sunset, and if we don't leave now, we're not gonna make it in time," Kiros' voice came from the doorway downstairs. Laguna sighed, and with one last, tender kiss to Raine's lips, he left her. 'I promise' he mouthed.

"Coming, Kiros!" Raine watched as Laguna disappeared down the stairs of their house. She walked over to the window and saw her beloved husband and his companion walk out of town. What she didn't know then, was that this was the last time she would ever see him…

"Edea?" the young man called gently as he made his way up the stairs of the old stone building, heading for the door. In his arms, he carefully held a small bundle of soft, light blue sheets.

"Matwon! 'ewe's someon' at de doow!" one of the younger children in the orphanage called. He was about three years old – a bright and happy boy that didn't cause much trouble. Edea regretted that he was to be adopted next week.

"Who is it, Stephen?" came Matron's calm voice from further inside.

"Som' man!" was the immediate reply. The man waited patiently by the entrance, already smiling as Edea appeared. She was holding two children, both less than six months old, one on each arm, "Cid!" she cried as she saw her husband stand there.

"Edea, my love!"

Edea set the two babies, a blonde girl with ice blue eyes, and a blonde-reddish haired boy with blue-green eyes down on the floor, and headed to her husband to hug him. However, Cid stopped her before she could crush the precious little thing he was holding, "Careful, dear… I've got something for you."

"Another one?" Edea peered down at the piece of clothing in Cid's arms, obviously containing something far more unique inside. He nodded, gravely, "As our ship traveled past Galbadia, we stopped in Dollet to buy some extra food. An old woman came to me and asked me if I was Cid Kramer, then gave me this. She told me she had found him in an abandoned house. His parents were probably killed in the war," Cid explained, and handed the baby to his wife.

Edea took the small boy, unwrapping the sheets so she could see his face, "Oh my… he's so little. He can't be much more than a few weeks old," she whispered. The child was indeed small, even small for his age. His hair was a light blonde and his eyes a pale, sea blue with a tint of green. 

Cid nodded again, "It's a shame, with all these orphans… Oh, and I hear Stephen is up for adoption?"

"Not so loud," Edea whispered, "He's right behind us. …Yes, he is. So I guess he won't be sent to Garden. But I'm hoping Marion and Peter will be able to. They're soon eight and nine years old, and it's rare people are willing to adopt children that old."

"I suppose so… They're old enough to start training soon, then," Cid hesitated, "Are you sure you want to do this, Edea?" he sounded concerned, "The Garden is soon finished, and if everything goes well, our first SeeDs will be ready in a few years. Are you sure that…"

"Cid, dear. Don't worry. They aren't going to fight me," Edea giggled a little. The man before her frowned and started to say something, but then the baby in her arms started crying, and in another room, they could hear Stephen argue with some other child over a toy. Sighing a little, Edea tried to soothe the baby boy, "Sorry, darling. Work is calling for me. …Oh, and does this kid have a name, or do I have to give him one myself?"

"Hmm. The old woman named him 'Zell', after her own son who died in war. Maybe you should rename him, though."

"Zell… No, Zell is a perfect name for him," Edea decided, as she started walking further into the house, Cid following her, "How long are you able to stay?"

"Just a couple of days. Garden needs me," he replied.

Nodding, Edea didn't get the chance to answer. A loud cry was heard from within the other room.

"Stephen, let go of Seifer's toy!" they heard Marion scold. As the couple stepped inside, they saw Marion trying to drag a teddy bear out of Stephen's hands. Little Seifer was sitting on the floor, crying more out of anger than sadness. Quistis, the baby girl just two months older than Seifer, had started whining as well. Peter was trying to comfort her. In Edea's arms, Zell kept crying. Sighing, Edea and Cid exchanged a look, "Gotta love them."


	2. Chapters 06 - 10

_Chapter 6:_

_ _

_ _

_Somewhere north of Trabia, three months later…_

_ _

"It's official. I, Laguna Loire, HATE Ruby Dragons," Laguna sat on a large boulder, rubbing his wounded arm as Kiros cast a Cure spell on him.

"Hey, if you hadn't been so stupid and thought it was us, you could have run away and we wouldn't have to fight that thing," Kiros said, smirking at Laguna's complaining.

"Well, if you hadn't convinced me to take this stupid job…"

"……" said Ward, lifting both eyebrows. 

"Okay, okay," Laguna grumbled, leaping down from the rock as the cure spell took effect and made him feel better.

"At least you didn't fall off a cliff and end up in bed for a month again," Kiros cast cure on himself, then turned to look out at the landscape. All that could be seen in front of them, apart from the few, small villages, was mountains, snow and forests. Then there was that strange light in the far south… Whatever it was, the three of them had a feeling they were going in the right direction.

"Hey, man. Give me a break. That was an accident," Laguna walked up next to Kiros, frowning. Soon, Ward joined them too, "Besides, the Shumis happen to be very friendly."

"We have to stop wasting our time, Laguna. You want to go back to Raine as soon as possible, right? And who knows what they're doing to Ellone right at this moment while we're standing here, talking…," Kiros trailed off.

"I know that! Don't you think I know that?!" Laguna looked like he was about to jump at Kiros - who backed away - but quickly managed to calm down. Ward just stared, eyes wide, and Kiros wore an almost frightened expression, "Sorry…," Laguna breathed, "I just… can't stand the thought of…"

Ward stepped forward and put a hand on Laguna's shoulder. Kiros sighed, "I know, Laguna, I'm sorry. Look, I think we're getting close. We just gotta hurry, you know?"

Laguna nodded slowly, biting his lower lip. Turning his steel blue eyes to the horizon, he watched the mysterious beam that seemed to shine like sunlight from the ground. Get Ellone… Then back to Raine. But was he ready, yet? As much as he hated to admit it, he had enjoyed the past few months. He had enjoyed traveling around the world with his two best friends, like he used to do in the old days when they were soldiers. Seeing new places, experiencing new things.. And then sit down and write about them. Although Timber Maniacs didn't pay too much for his articles, he still loved to write them. It was worth the effort, even if it was just for the pleasure of knowing that people all over Galbadia would be reading about his journeys.

The boy inside him longed to see more of the world, too. When he found Ellone, would he be ready to return to his wife? Spend the rest of his life as a husband at home, never leaving the small village. He loved Raine, there was no doubt of that, but had he made the right choice?

"Let's go," Kiros said. The two others nodded, and soon, the three friends were heading down the path… Oblivious of the fact they were about to enter history…

"We'll be there soon, sweetie, don't worry," the young woman - no, girl - headed down the dark streets of Deling city. In her arms, she held a poorly clothed baby. One so young it couldn't be more than a couple days old. The mother, a short, brown haired teenager, with dirty clothes and dust in her face, couldn't be more than 15 or 16 herself. She didn't feel safe there, noting all the looks from the drunk men that sat in the corners of the street. She never felt safe, even less when she had this new burden to take care of. 

But not for long. Lily Tilmitt was barely able to keep herself alive. The baby wouldn't live for long if she was to remain under her birth mother's care.

The girl stopped in front of a small building. She knew that the two old sisters who lived there used to take care of orphaned children, and saw this as her only way out. For a long while, she stood there, watching the house. Then she looked down at her daughter, who was peacefully asleep in her arms. Oh, how beautiful she was! Her daughter, her own little angel, with fuzz of light brown hair on her tiny head, and eyes of the most wonderful, jade green. Just like her father's eyes, Lily mused. It tore her apart that she had to give up on the only one she had ever really loved in this cruel world. But that was just it – she loved her child too much to keep her.

Sighing sadly, she pulled out a piece of paper from her jacket pocket, read through it's content quickly, then placed the note beneath the blanket wrapped around her baby. Then she gently laid the baby on the doorstep. The girl woke as she felt the cold stone replace her mother's warm grasp, and started crying. Lily bit her lip, knocked on the door twice, and then fled and disappeared into the shadows.

An elderly woman opened the door, surprised at the sight that met her, "Mimi! There's a baby out here!"

"Another abandoned one? Oh, dear God. We don't have room for any more!" a voice replied from inside, mixed with the voices of children crying and bickering. Charlotte, the woman that had opened the door, bent down and picked up the screaming baby, "My, my… you aren't old, are you?" … Then she noticed the paper sticking out from the blanket. Pulling it out, she read:

_'Dear ladies._

_ _

_I can't take care of my baby. Please, give her a nice home and be good to her, cause I love her very much. Her name is Selphie. Her last name is Tilmitt, like mine. Don't try to find me. She'll be a good girl, I promise.'_

_ _

Charlotte lowered the paper slowly, sighing quietly to herself. They already had ten children – and there was a limit for how many kids you could raise at the age of 60. Then, she had an idea. Closing the door behind her, she walked into the living room.

"Mimi? I read about this orphanage … Run by a woman named Edea …Kramer? Yeah, wife of that man building a huge military school in Balamb. It was an article in Timber Maniacs…"

_Chapter 7:_

_ _

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_Winhill, August 18._

_ _

"Raine, Raine, Raine!" Heads popped out of windows from all the houses in the small village as the clear and well known voice of Winhill's youngest member was heard. Ellone was running all the way, and her escort could barely keep up with her, "Little lady, PLEASE! I'm too old for this!" he panted.

Raine was still in bed, dozing lightly, even if it was getting pretty late. It wasn't easy to walk about when you were in your ninth month of pregnancy.

…There was something wrong about her dream. Every night, she would dream of her husband returning with the girl that had become as dear to them as a daughter. She would hear their voices, see their smiles, feel their skin touch hers… They would be there to see her child be born. Their child, Raine and Laguna's child.But every night, it was the same. They vanished. Their voices faded as she woke, and again, it was only a dream. She would be sitting wide awake in her bed, with the memories still fresh in her mind, and sob like a little baby.

But today, there was something wrong with her dream. She could feel she was starting to wake, but the voices remained. Or rather, the voice. Ellone? She sounded so real… So..

Raine's eyes went wide open. She sat up, as quickly as she could with her huge belly, and got out of bed, walking to the window and looking out just in time to see her brown haired, blue dressed angel run across the little bridge and towards her house. This wasn't a dream!

"Ellone! Elle!" Careful not to stumble in her own feet, Raine ran down the stairs and out the door. Ellone ran straight into her foster mother's arms, and the two females hugged each other so tightly, and so long that Ellone's escort thought they had grown stuck to each other.

Tears of joy ran down Raine's cheeks. She closed her eyes, burying her nose in Ellone's hair and just feeling, sensing her presence. "Raine…," Ellone said quietly, smiling from ear to ear as the woman finally let her go.

"Thank God you're all right… Oh, I've missed you so much! I was so worried!" Raine said, still holding Ellone's arms and looking into her eyes. Ellone, being only four years old, was rather blunt when noticing Raine's stomach, "Raine, why're ya so fat?"

Blinking, Mrs. Loire glanced at her own stomach, then smiled at Ellone, "That's… I'll explain later," she looked around, narrowed her eyes, then looked around again, "Where's Laguna?"

"Oh, that's right," Ellone's escort suddenly said – He had been quiet until now. He was wearing a Galbadian uniform, but looked older and less formal than the soldiers that had been guarding the village a year earlier. 'Why did they have to leave? If they hadn't, the Estharians wouldn't have taken Ellone in the first place…' Raine thought bitterly.

"I'm Ellone's escort," the man explained, "A man from Esthar came with a small boat to Dollet. He asked for someone who could take his 'friend' to Winhill, said he would pay them. Since I just happened to be going this way anyway, I offered to help him," seeing Raine's annoyed 'get on with it' expression, he cleared his voice and continued, "Ah, anyway. This man was a friend of a man named Laguna Loire. He told me to bring this girl to a woman named Raine Loire, and I assume that is you?"

Raine nodded. It was an unnecessary question.

"Right. Anyway, he had a message for you," the escort handed Raine a piece of paper.

Ellone looked curiously over Raine's shoulder as she read, even if she couldn't read herself and knew most of what was in the letter already, only with easier words.

'_Raine, my dearest._

_I kept my promise. If you get this letter, it means that Ellone has been brought back to you and that you are both safe in Winhill. Some crazy doctor had her captured. I'm not sure why, but I was told she had some sort of special ability...? I apologize for not being there. I'm not sure how to start – There are so many things to explain, and so little time. I have joined a resistance group in Esthar. They helped me free Ellone, so the only right thing I could do was to help them in return. We are currently thinking of a way to get rid of Sorceress Adel, but it's not easy. I'm afraid it can take a while before I am able to return to you. Please forgive me. Just know that if I succeed in this, I'll be helping a lot of people._

_Love you,_

_Laguna.'_

_ _

The look of hurt in Raine's face was unimaginable. She didn't even notice how her hand was closing around the paper, crumpling it to a little ball. A resistance group?? Why in the world would he… Would he rather help complete strangers in a difficult and dangerous job to free a whole country, which probably was impossible anyway, and leave his family to fend for themselves? Swallowing, Raine fought back tears and stood up. The escort looked questioningly at her, but she waved him off with a hand, "Thanks for your help. I guess the man in Dollet already paid you," she said, her voice strangely plain. He nodded, cocking a brow, then saluted to them both, "I will be on my way then."

As the escort turned and walked away, Ellone looked up at Raine, who obviously was fighting back tears, "Raine…?"

Raine sniffed and took Ellone's hand, "Let's go inside, honey. I'll make us some lunch. You know what? Soon, you're going to be a big sister..."

_Chapter 8:_

_ _

_ _

_Winhill, late evening, August 23._

_ _

"She's finally asleep," Mrs. Gordon said quietly as she walked down the stairs from Raine's room, "The girl too," she shook her head sadly, "Poor dears. They have both been through so much, and now this…"

"How is she doing?" Old Mr. Gordon asked. He was sitting in a chair in a corner, and in his arms, he was holding a tiny, newborn baby wrapped in a white blanket. The baby boy sucked eagerly on the nipple of the milk bottle that Mr. Gordon was feeding him with.

"Not too good," the old lady walked over to her husband, and sighed as she watched him care for the baby just as he had cared for their own children, a long time ago. He was such a gentle man, wasn't he? "She lost a lot of blood. A _lot_. She's very weak and I think she's got some sort of infection, too. I'm afraid she's not going to… make it."

Mr. Gordon frowned and stood up, a bit too quickly. The baby was startled and lost his grip on the bottle, then started screaming. So much for being gentle. Mrs. Gordon took him out of her husband's arms and grabbed the bottle, and the boy was content as soon as he started feeding again.

"It's all that… that… soldier's fault! Good for nothing brat, was he. Should have thought he was 7, not 27. He should never have come here. If he had just stayed away, Raine would have found a _decent_ man instead!"

"Calm down, dear! You'll just wake them again!" his wife hissed.

"Well, good! Maybe then Raine will realize the truth! She'll see what a stupid choice she made! And don't say I didn't warn her!"

"Eric!" 

The baby was crying again.

Upstairs, Ellone was lying huddled up against Raine, her eyes wide and moist. Raine felt warm tears on her face once again – she had been crying almost nonstop for the past week, and was just as exhausted from her heartache as she was from the difficult birth.

"Raine… do they hate Uncle Laguna?" Ellone whispered, her voice vague and alien.

The woman didn't reply. She listened to the old couple argue downstairs, to the sound of her newborn son crying. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon were such a nice couple, but they truly disliked Laguna – especially Mr. Gordon had despised her love from the day he arrived in the village, badly wounded and unable to care for himself.

"Laguna…," Raine whispered. She drew in a shaky breath, and moaned as a sharp twinge of pain shot through her chest and down her back. Ellone lifted her head, an alarmed look in her face.

"Elle… would you be a dear… And tell Mrs. Gordon to come up here? …And ask her… to bring my son…," Raine winced, the pain throbbing through her entire body. She could literally feel her life and energy being sucked out of her.

Ellone was hesitant to leave Raine like this, but she obeyed.

Left alone, Raine closed her eyes again, "Oh, Laguna…. Why did you leave me? Now I'll never see your eyes again, your smile… I just wanted you to see our son. I wanted to see your expression when you saw him. I wanted us all to be together…," she breathed, her brows narrowing in a pained frown, "Did you really love me, Laguna…? Or was it just… because …" It hurt too much, even to whisper. She had to save her strength for talking with Mrs. Gordon.

(Was I just a replacement for that singer, Julia? I saw your expression whenever you heard her song… I know that song was about you. Did you leave me because you realized I wasn't your true love?)

(Then why did you ask me to marry you…? Why…?)

"I knew he was trouble! The moment he arrived, I knew!"

"Eric! Please! She might die, and you're…" Mrs. Gordon and her husband fell quiet at the same time. The only sound heard was the baby boy's unstoppable, heart piercing crying.

At the base of the stairs, little Ellone stood, looking at the two of them with huge brown eyes, her expression stiff with fear and sadness.

Mrs. Gordon shot the elderly man a sharp look, then went over to the girl, "Elle, honey… I thought you were asleep? What's the matter?"

Elle, not crying, not saying a word, just stared at the woman. She lifted her hand, pointing upstairs. Mrs. Gordon blinked, and fearing the worst, she handed the baby to her husband and started to move up the stairs.

Ellone shook her head, "Lil' bro go with you…," she said quietly, "Raine wants her baby."

"Raine?" Mrs. Gordon stepped over to the bed, carrying the still crying baby in her arms.

"Nina…," Raine slowly opened her eyes. She coughed, twice, then cleared her voice, "May I… hold him?"

Without answering, Mrs. Gordon gave the baby to his mother. Raine held him with such care and love that only a mother could, cooing to him quietly, "Shhh, don't cry, my little boy.. My little angel.. Don't cry..," she whispered, holding him close to her face, so she could smell the sweetness of his baby skin and feel the fuzz of dark hair on his head brush against her soft cheek. Soon, her son calmed down and stopped crying, his eyes closing.

Mrs. Gordon watched with amazement. Ellone had followed, and she was standing a bit behind the old woman, watching.

"I want to give him a name… before I must go," Raine said softly, looking up at Mrs. Gordon. The other woman frowned and shook her head, "Don't say that, Raine, you'll be just fine."

Looking at the girl behind, Raine didn't like the expression on Ellone's face. Blank, staring.

Turning her attention back to her baby, Raine took in a gasp of air, then mouthed, barely loud enough to be heard, "Squall."

"What?" Mrs. Gordon asked.

(Rain, lagoon… water. Mixed with wind. Storm. Strong. You need to be strong, my little Squall.) "His name is Squall… Squall Leonhart."

"Your maiden name? Why?"

(Because he needs to be strong.) (Because he will need to have a lion's heart - Brave and strong. Because soon, he will have no parents.)

"Raine?"

(Because I am his mother. I will die as Raine Loire, Laguna Loire's wife. But he will live as Squall Leonhart, Raine Leonhart's son. …Because Laguna will never be his father. Sometimes blood isn't thicker than water.)

(He abandoned us.)

"Because I insist," Raine said firmly, her dark blue eyes meeting Nina's gaze, "Consider it my last wish."

(My grave will say Raine Loire. Fooled by a man whose boyish dreams hadn't yet left him. A boy who didn't want a family, but who wanted to save the world and be a hero, like the heroes in cartoons he admired when he was little.)

(He doesn't even know he has a son.)

Suddenly, Raine gasped as pain went through her body again. She felt her will to keep her eyes open fade.

Mrs. Gordon was deeply concerned, "Raine, you ought to get some rest."

"No," the young mother reached up to the back of her neck, and lifted off the necklace that hung there. The one she always wore, but kept hidden beneath her shirt. Attached to it was a lion's head made out of silver. Griever. A Guardian Force who had many glorious and mysterious rumors circling Its name. Raine's father had given the necklace to her when she was a girl.

Ever so gently, Raine placed it around Squall's neck instead. The boy in her arms didn't move, but kept sleeping like the angel he was.

"Squall Leonhart… Don't forget who you are," Raine whispered, and glanced at Ellone, "Elle… Take care of him." Again, she felt the overwhelming pain and weakness get its grip on her, and she couldn't resist it any longer. Her head fell back, and she was lost in a deep sleep. The two others present held their breath and went cold with fear. Was it over? No, her chest still rose and fell. For now. Squall was comfortable with his head against his mother's chest.

"Raine!" Ellone cried, running over to the woman that had served as her foster mother. She buried her head against Raine's side and sobbed, "Raine, don't die…"

_Chapter 9:_

_ _

_ _

_Centra, Cape of Good Hope, September 1._

_ _

Things had been quiet at the orphanage after Marion, Peter and Stephen had all left. Edea was left with 'her' four youngest children: Quistis, 11 months old, Seifer, 8 and ½ months old, Zell, 5 ½ months, and little Selphie, only 1 ½ months old.

Edea was alone with the responsibility, and she didn't mind. Taking care of the babies had never been a problem. It was the… loneliness that ached in her heart. She wanted to be with Cid, her love, her husband… her knight. She longed to be around other adults, but… No one could learn the truth about her identity. Had they all known she was truly a Sorceress, they would never have sent any children to her. They all feared Sorceress Adel, and would surely see Sorceress Edea was a similar threat, had they known. 

It was so peaceful out there on the southern part of Centra. This old stone building, surrounded only by an endless bed of flowers and the sea, had served as her home from when she was a child herself. This was where she wanted to live her life – And when the day came, the place she wanted to die.

No need to worry about that, though. She was still young; she had her life ahead of her. And should her and Cid's plan succeed - Raising special combat trained mercenaries, SeeDs, to fight and defeat Adel and any evil and power hungry Sorceress that might come after her - she would truly have accomplished something in her life.

Edea sighed as she gazed out the window, holding a sleeping Selphie in her arms. Behind her, Quistis was practicing walking, holding onto the side of her bed. Seifer was watching with interest, crawling after her and trying to imitate the older girl's moves. Zell was asleep in his own bed.

Suddenly, Edea noticed something near the lighthouse. There was a small boat there. Strange, as it was all the wrong time for food supplies to be delivered, and Cid hadn't planned any visits in the near future. Narrowing her eyes, Edea walked over to Selphie's bed and laid the baby down without waking her, checked on Quistis and Seifer to make sure they weren't causing any trouble, then opened the door and went outside to meet the strangers.

"Mrs. Edea Kramer?" The young man asked as he eventually made his way from the boat and up to Edea's house. By his side, a young girl was walking – not more than 4 or 5 years old – and he was carrying what could only be an infant. Inwardly, Edea felt so sorry for all these orphans. Most of their parents had been killed in war, like Quistis' and Zell's, some had died under other circumstances or had been forced to leave their baby, like Selphie's mother, or they had simply not wanted their child… Edea could clearly remember the day she was handed the care of Seifer.

_She had been in Timber, on a two day trip to see how things were going – Galbadia had just invaded the city, and it was likely there were many orphans there – while one of Cid's most trusted friends was taking care of the children back at the orphanage._

_ _

_A blonde and rather handsome man had walked up to her, holding a month old boy. From what Edea could tell from his harsh expression and his ragged clothes, this man was a resistance group member. These groups had formed just a few weeks after Timber was forced under Galbadian control – these citizens weren't the kid to just give up, "Are you that orphan woman?" he had asked, gruffly._

_ _

_Edea nodded, but her eyes were on the child, "Your son?"_

_ _

_"Unfortunately. I don't need a kid right now. His mom was killed by couple'a soldiers," the man shrugged, "I heard you were comin' here, so I was kinda hoping you'd take him…"_

Edea always wished parents would keep their children themselves, but she couldn't refuse Mr. Almasy's request for help. Even if she had convinced him to keep his son, he probably wouldn't have done a very good job in raising him. This man was the reckless type – the one who wanted to fight for the mere pleasure of fighting rather than standing up for something he believed in. Not a very good father figure. And not to mention children were often killed in war.

"Mrs. Kramer?" 

The man before her cleared his voice, and Edea snapped back to the present. She nodded, and looked down at the two children, "I assume these are… mine to take?"

"Yeah, they're from Winhill. The boy's name is …," he frowned and picked out a little note of his pocket, looking over it quickly, "…Squall Leonhart. Quite a unique name, eh? And the girl's name is Ellone. She's old enough to talk and all, but she's not said a word during the whole journey here. Makes you wonder what she's seen, eh?"

Edea didn't answer at first. She kneeled before the girl, shaking her head slowly, "Oh, the poor dears…," she whispered to herself, then her eyes met the girl's frightened ones, "Don't look so scared, my child. My name is Edea, but you may call me Matron. So, your name is Ellone, hmm? That's a pretty name…" No reply.

Ellone… Ellone, where had she heard that name before?

Then she remembered. That man that had been here a few months back… Laguna? Something like that? He had been looking for a girl named Ellone… Who had been taken by Esthar soldiers. What did Adel want with her? …Must be something special. Edea frowned. How had this girl ended up here, and why? Where was this Laguna character? And who was the baby boy?

"Uh… Ma'am, I'd better be on my way. Do you think you could…"

"Oh! Of course," Edea, having received nothing but a stare from Ellone, stood up and took the baby the man was holding, "Squall, you say?" she chewed gently at her lip, then noticed the way too large necklace hanging around the baby's neck. The young man nodded, "That's correct. Have a nice day, Mrs. Kramer," he lifted his hand to do a quick salute, similar to the one the Galbadian soldiers used, then turned and walked back to the boat.

Edea was left wondering, with an infant only a couple weeks old and a girl who wouldn't talk. She held onto the silver lion's head, and looked after the man as his boat started to sail away.

"That's Griever," Ellone suddenly said in a quiet voice.

"What did you say, sweetheart?" Edea was surprised, and turned her soft eyes down to the girl.

"The lion's name's Griever."

"Really? It has a name? Well… I'll remember that.. Ellone."

Inside, one of the other babies started crying, as usual, "Let me show you the house you and your … brother are going to live in," Edea took Ellone's hand.

"He's not really my brother."

"Well, there's a lot of babies here, and all are much younger than you. I guess you'll be a big sister to all of them. You like that?"

Ellone looked up and nodded vaguely, a very faint hint of a smile upon her lips, "Yeah… I'll be Squall's and everyone's Sis."

_Chapter 10:_

_ _

_ _

_Esthar, about nine months after Squall's birth._

_ _

Laguna was leaning back in his chair, looking out the window of his new office. The city and population was still badly wounded by Adel's rough rule, but things were slowly calming down and the rebuilding of the society had already started. While there were still plenty of rebels that were against the project to get rid of the evil Sorceress, most were relieved that Adel was safely sealed as far away from them as she could possibly get – out in space.

While he had accepted the fact the resistance group had chosen him as Leader, Laguna was still stunned by the fact they wanted _him_ to be the new President. What a huge, but honoring responsibility that was! But with the help of his trusted friends, Ward and Kiros, he was sure he could do it. After all, this was far by the most important thing he had ever done – Without him, Esthar would never have been free. He couldn't take all the credit, though. There were a lot of good people who had helped him – He had just led them and come up with the final idea that meant the end of Sorceress Adel's time as ruler.

Content, Laguna sighed and stretched out. They had even given him this nice office, and were redesigning Adel's Palace to be a Presidental Palace. Life was good. Sometimes, though, when things got quiet… He wondered how Ellone and Raine were doing. He had really missed them and realized Raine was probably angry at him, but now when things were all right in Esthar, he could finally do what he had intended to for some time now – Have his wife and Ellone move to Esthar to live with him.

He did think about Julia now and then, too. It had been such a pain when he traveled through Galbadia and happened to hear her song at one of the bars he had visited. "Eyes on Me". Was she happy with this General she had married? Laguna heard she had a daughter now. Well, maybe she wasn't his type after all – He wasn't ready yet to have kids. Sure, he and Raine had Ellone, but he didn't want any more children before Esthar had truly become a safe place to live, and that would still take a few years.

Someone opened the door to his office, and Laguna whirled around in his chair to see who it was. Kiros walked in. He was holding a few papers in his hands, and had a strangely grim expression on his face, but Laguna was so excited these days he didn't even notice.

"Laguna…"

"Kiros!" Laguna got out of his chair, a huge grin spreading on his face, "Any more news? Gee, isn't all of this just great? Adel's gone, the city has been liberated…"

"…Yes, it's nice, but Laguna… there's something I…"

"And they chose ME as President! Me, can you believe it? I know it's been days, but I still can't believe it! I'd never have imagined this when I first came here – Heck, I was just here to save Ellone, and now…"

"Laguna, please…"

"We're gonna get this country on its feet again, man. All we gotta do is make sure nothin' goes wrong with crazy Adel up there, and we're fine! And you and Ward are helping me, it's not gonna be any problem. Hey, I need to get you your own office too, and –"

"_Laguna!_" Kiros' harsh voice caught Laguna off-guard and he turned around, looking at his friend in surprise, "Laguna, please sit down…"

Laguna frowned, but he did as Kiros told him and sunk back down in his chair, "What's the matter, man? You look like somebody died."

Kiros sighed heavily and took in a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy, "Laguna, I just received a message from Winhill…"

…………

It was so silent in the office that you could hear a fly's footsteps as it walked across the wall. Ward was standing in a corner of the room, and even though he couldn't talk, his expression said it all. Kiros leaned against the wall near the window, his hand folding and unfolding around the crumpled papers he was holding. Laguna was sitting in his chair, elbows leaning on the desk and his face buried in his hands. He had been sitting like that for almost an hour.

Ward sent Kiros a glance. Kiros shook his head a little, but Ward's eyes were pleading. Still hesitant about being the first to say something, Kiros cleared his voice and asked, quietly, "So… what are you going to do now?"

Laguna took in a shivering breath and lifted his head, blinking his red eyes, "I… don't know…"

"What about the boy?"

"…I can't, Kiros… Not now. I met this Edea lady… She's nice. He and Elle will be fine there…"

"But Laguna…"

"I CAN'T, dammit!" Laguna slammed his fist down at the desk, then stood up abruptly, "Look, I have lots of things to do here, I'm the President. I can't take care of two kids alone, okay? Not without…," feeling himself choke up again, he turned and stared out the window, trying to swallow the big lump in his throat.

Ward sighed sadly and walked towards his two friends. Kiros shook his head again, although this time out of the impossible situation. What else could they do? They had never seen Laguna this upset before.

"Damn…," Laguna leaned his forehead against the window glass and closed his eyes, "Guys… Could you just… leave me alone for a while… Please?"

The two of them looked at each other, then, reluctantly, nodded and left the office.

"Raine…," Laguna whispered, "I'm sorry…"


	3. Chapters 11 - 15

_Chapter 11:_

_ _

_ _

_4 ½ years later…_

_ _

Things were as they usually were at Edea's orphanage. Children running back and forth, playing, arguing, crying, causing trouble. Their Matron was in the middle of it all, trying to control them. She was grateful she had Ellone, though. For being only ten years old, she was extremely helpful when taking care of the younger children.

Edea noticed that especially Squall was very attached to the girl who had accompanied him there when he first arrived. While the others were content playing with each other, Squall always tagged along with Ellone, wanting to be everywhere she was and do everything she did.

Ellone had slowly changed from a quiet and frightened girl to the lively and spunky child she had been before her foster mother died. She still remembered the day Raine passed away, though – The picture of the woman crying out Laguna's name in pain, before falling lifelessly back in her bed, had burnt itself into Ellone's memory and would forever remain there.

Still, Ellone never blamed Laguna for staying in Esthar. In her childish naivety, her image of 'Uncle Laguna' was that of a hero – Who always did the right thing. He was saving people in another city, and that was why he couldn't be there for Raine. That was why he hadn't come to get her and Squall. Even so, Ellone wished he had never went out to save her. If only he had stayed so he could see Raine's baby…

Raine's baby. Squall. The five years old boy who seemed to adore her more than anything. It was a strange feeling to be looked up to by six younger children, but Ellone had quickly gotten used to it. She enjoyed playing with Squall. Teaching him new words, showing him new things. And she would tell him the story of the necklace he had around his neck – well, as much as she knew, anyway. That his mother had given it to him. Squall was more interested in the lion itself that where he had got it from, though. He was always asking so many questions, and would look up at her with those innocent, curious, steel blue eyes of his. He had his father's eyes, Ellone recalled.

Squall never asked about his parents. Of course – he didn't understand what parents were. Ellone never told him much about Raine, and nothing about Laguna, in fear it would just confuse the boy. Well, it wasn't as much her fear as it was Edea's. She had warned Ellone to not say too much about Squall's past. He was too young to understand, and when he got old enough to understand, the truth would probably hurt him.

Ellone and Squall were in the garden on the other side of the house, picking flowers. Edea was hanging up some clothes that she had cleaned. Selphie and Irvine were running around her legs in a game of tag. Nearby, Quistis and Zell were sitting. Quistis was helping Zell with building a little tower of rocks, much to Zell's joy. Not having much money, Edea couldn't afford many toys for the children, so they had to play with what was available to them. Maintaining the Garden was very expensive for Cid, even with NORG's investment, and he couldn't give Edea more than what she needed for food and clothes.

Irvine and Selphie were a strange little couple. Selphie was always so full of life, almost always happy – no matter what the situation was. Hyperactive, people would say, but Edea avoided using that word – Although she _did_ have more trouble putting Selphie to bed at night than with any of the other kids. Irvine was a rather average child. Playful and wild, and while not as much as Selphie, he enjoyed her company. Sometimes, he had an almost sly sparkle in his eyes, and he used to impress Selphie with little gifts such as a pretty blossom or a nice sea shell. Edea found herself chuckling every time he did that.

Quistis was more of a loner. Being the oldest except Ellone, she used to spend time by herself, just walking along the beach and gathering shells and rocks. Sometimes, she would get sad and thoughtful, and if she got angry, she was very difficult to deal with. Instead of opening up to Edea, she sought the friendship of the other children, and they soon accepted her as a leader type. She gained their respect, and abused it in her own ways by bossing them around and always deciding what game they were going to play.

Zell was the whiny type, but good at heart. He would start crying over nothing, and was often picked on by Seifer. But as Zell grew older, he would more and more often defend himself by getting angry. Edea didn't like this particular development, but there didn't seem to be much she could do. Both Zell and Seifer refused to ignore or leave the other alone.

Just as Zell and Quistis' rock tower was finished, Seifer came running up from the beach, a nasty grin on his face. He ran right over to the two of them, nearly knocking over Irvine on his way, and kicked the tower so it was destroyed. Zell's eyes widened, "Oh NO!! My toweeeew!" he started whining. Quistis frowned and stood up, "Whaddya do that for, Seifer?!"

"Hahaha!" Seifer laughed, "Cry-baby-Zell!"

Edea winced as she heard Quistis and Seifer start a heated argument, sometimes interrupted by Zell's protests. Irvine and Selphie just stood by and watched, amused. Seifer was far by the most difficult of them all. He had this air of superiority – or at least, the need to be superior – hanging around him, and never let anyone tell him what to do. Not Quistis, not Ellone, and sometimes not even Edea. Besides, he had grown fond of picking on the others, Zell and Squall in particular. But he didn't always dare to bother Squall, as Ellone usually would protect him.

"Stop this, right now!" Edea demanded, walking over to the children. She placed her hands on her hips and looked sternly at Seifer and Quistis.

"Matwon, Seifew pushed my toweeeew!" Zell complained, pouting.

"Cry-baby-Zell! It was an ugly tower! And it was just some stupid rocks, anyway."

"Shut up, Seifer!" Quistis snapped.

"Get him, Quisty!!" Selphie and Irvine cheered.

"Children…," Edea started, ready to give them a lecture, but suddenly a strange dizziness caused her to stumble in her words. The disagreeing voices of the kids turned into a blur as the world started to spin around her, and suddenly, she fell over on the ground.

"Matron!!" all the children cried. Even Seifer had stopped arguing, and was staring along with the others. But Edea didn't move.

_(Where am I?)_

_ _

_(Sorceress Edea… Worthless puppet…)_

_ _

_(Hello? Who are you? What's happening to me??)_

_ _

_(I want Ellone.)_

_ _

_(What…?)_

_ _

_(I want Ellone. She has the one power I need. The power I need to reach my goal.)_

_ _

_(Power? What power? What are you talking about? Who are you?)_

_ _

_(She has an unique ability. You are going to help me get it. Ellone's power will be my possession, and once I control her mind, the world will be mine.)_

_ _

_(You… What are you going to do with Ellone?)_

_ _

_(Bring me to her. The world will be mine. A world beyond your imagination.)_

_ _

_(No!)_

_ _

_(Bring me to her! You will be my puppet! Bring me to her!)_

_ _

_(No! You'll never get Ellone! I don't know what evil you intend to do, but I'm not going to let you use my girl for your devilish purposes. )_

_ _

_(Your mind is too strong… Mine is still too weak. But I will be back, Sorceress Edea, and then you will not be able to resist. I have plans for you… I have plans for the world, for the time, for the universe… You will see what I mean.)_

_ _

_ _

_ _

_ _

Edea gasped as she woke with a start. The children gathered around her were still staring, some of them were crying. Ellone came running along with Squall and Selphie.

"She's awake!" Quistis yelled to them. Ellone came to a halt next to her Matron and bent down. Squall stayed behind with the others.

"Matron… Are you all right? Talk to me."

"I'm…," Edea tried to find words. What had happened to her? That… person. That force that had entered her mind. A Sorceress? Adel? No, it wasn't Adel… From what she had heard, Adel had been removed from power and Esthar had a new ruler, so it couldn't be Adel. What was she talking about…? World domination? And what did she need Ellone for? The power … the power that Ellone had – Was that why Esthar had kidnapped her?

"Matron?"

"I'm all right, sweetheart," Edea sat up, shaking her head, "I just was a little dizzy, that's all."

She looked around at the frightened faces surrounding her, "Oh, don't look at me like I fell from the moon. I'm all right. Come to me and share a hug, huh?"

Selphie was quick to smile and was the first to approach Edea. Soon after, Ellone, Quistis, Irvine, Zell, Squall and eventually Seifer all came and hugged their Matron. None of them were going to argue any more for a few days, that was for sure.

But Edea was deeply concerned. Whatever had entered her mind, it was powerful, and she had no doubt it would return for Ellone. Ellone had to be protected… And she would have to hurry.

_Chapter 12:_

_ _

_ _

_Yet another six months later…_

_ _

"So… I guess this is it," Edea sighed regretfully, staring out at the sea as she stood on the rocks near the lighthouse. The fresh, ocean wind caressed her raven black hair and dress. Cid loved the effect that had on her – His dark angel, so beautiful. But so solemn, and that bothered him.

"Well, the White SeeD ship is located north of this part of the continent, hidden. We'll be there in about an hour. Don't worry, Edea. Both Marion and Peter have turned into dedicated young SeeDs and they'll be able to protect her until you can take over. She'll be safe there. And that's all you wanted, right? That Ellone will be protected?" Cid tilted his head and watched his wife curiously.

"Indeed… I just hope that.. it's enough. This… person keeps entering my mind. She's still too weak, but who knows when she'll be able to… Even I can become a threat to Ellone," Edea swallowed.

"There's something I don't understand… Why doesn't this character just seek out Ellone's mind directly, instead of going through you?"

Edea shook her head sadly, "I believe she is a Sorceress, Cid. Maybe she needs to go through another Sorceress. And I know, the only current Sorceresses are me and Adel. That really worries me more than anything else. Is there a third that we don't know of?" …There could be. Just recently, there had been another Sorceress at Edea's house. Edea still wanted to think it was a dream – That old, weak woman… She wanted to die. Edea couldn't let her children see her, she would just frighten them. So, to avoid her scaring the children, she had agreed to receive the old Sorceress' power, so that she may die. …There was something strange about this new power. Not like the one had been passed on to her when she was 5. Her power as a Sorceress was doubled, but still.. weakened, in a way. It was as if she had less and less control of herself, and the power of the sorcery slowly took over her mind… She couldn't even think about it, much less talk about it. Who had this old woman been? …And the SeeD. The young SeeD that had been there. Squall had asked 'Who is he?' …Edea couldn't remember clearly, but the boy that had been standing before her… how old was he, seventeen, eighteen? … he didn't belong there. She knew who he was. Her head hurt when thinking about it… Something was terribly wrong.

Cid was silent, looking grim. He wanted to protect his wife, his Sorceress, but what could he do against a force that was inside herself? Nothing. Truly, Edea was far more powerful than himself, and if she couldn't resist it, how could he?

"What does she want with Ellone's ability…," Edea mused.

"The power to travel back in time, was that it?" her husband asked.

"Yes.. well, almost. As I said, according to the letter I received from Esthar's President, the scientists there have figured out Ellone is able to send one's mind back into the past… There is this scientist there… Doctor Odine, an expert when it comes to all sorts of strange powers, including the power of Sorceresses. He is looking for Ellone, wanting to do more research on her ability, so we have to keep her away from him. Also, whatever this unknown Sorceress wants, I need to protect Ellone against her too. She is planning no good. Perhaps, by letting her explore my mind further, I can figure out what she is going to do…"

"Edea, that is a great risk to take," Cid frowned.

Not replying, Edea just leaned her head against her husband's shoulder and looked out at the ocean again. Esthar had confirmed that Adel's powers were safely sealed out in space, and they had a new President that ensured new peace in the country. It wasn't Adel. That thought kept repeating itself. So who was it?

(President Laguna Loire… You were looking for Ellone… Why don't you protect her yourself?) 

(Of course, Doctor Odine is there… And the President doesn't know someone else wants her…)

(It's all up to us now…)

"No one must know where she is, Cid… No one." Edea whispered.

"I have a surprise for you," Ellone smiled secretively as she held her hands behind her back. She and Squall were standing out in the flower field by Edea's house. It was Ellone's favorite place, which automatically caused it to be Squall's favorite place, too.

Wide eyed and curious, Squall looked expectantly up at the five years older girl, "Really? What is it, Sis?"

"Choose a hand."

The boy watched her thoughtfully for a while, looking from one arm to the other, "You're just gonna move it to the other hand when I choose," he said, frowning a bit.

Ellone faked a hurt expression, "No, I'm not. Don't you trust me?"

Of course he trusted her. Asking Squall if he trusted Sis was as pointless as asking whether the sky was blue or the grass was green. More than anyone else, he trusted Ellone. She was always there for him. Never would she tease him or argue with him like the other children his age did, never was she too busy to spend time with him like Matron often was. Whenever he needed her to be there, to play with him, comfort him, tell him stories, answer his questions, Sis would be there for him. And truly, she was the only stabile thing he had in his young life, the only one he had to hold on to. He wasn't as independent as Seifer, he wasn't the leader type like Quistis, he didn't have Zell's ability to draw attention, Selphie's spunky nature, or Irvine's charm. You could say he was the only one in the orphanage that really didn't do too well as an orphan. The others had their own ways of protecting themselves against the longing to have true parents – Squall had Ellone.

"I trust you," he eventually said and smiled his innocent smile, pointing at Ellone's left hand. She showed it to him, and it was empty, "Aw, I knew it!" the boy pouted.

Ellone giggled and quickly showed him her right hand. In it was a silvery ring, and the head of a lion was carved into it. Squall's eyes, if possible, went even wider, "It's Griever!" he cheered and took the ring out of Ellone's hand.

She nodded, "I thought… since you're so fond of that necklace, you should have something to match it. So I asked Cid to have someone make this ring for you. It's still way too big, but that's because I wanted it to fit when you're all grown up. Then you'll always have something to remember me by."

Squall didn't catch the hint. He was so excited he couldn't see the sad features in Ellone's face, "It's great!" 

Ellone bent down, and felt Squall's short arms around her neck in a tight hug, "I love you, Sis," he said. She sighed and closed her eyes, returning the hug. She was going to miss him, "I love you too, Squall."

Things were going well for the Galbadians. After Esthar had withdrawn all the soldiers from Galbadia and Adel was no longer a threat, President Deling had ordered the army to concentrate on their true goal: To rule the entire Galbadian continent. New soldiers had been trained and they had finally managed to gain full control over Timber. Now the only independent states left in Galbadia were Dollet, and that new place that was still being built - Galbadia Garden. Martine, a young man full of visions and dreams – and money – had followed Cid Kramer's example and was creating a Garden – a place to train special combat mercenaries. Rumors said a similar project was going on in Trabia, and both Gardens had strong bonds with Balamb Garden. Still, Galbadia Garden was a little corrupt. Martine had problems funding it, and had been supported by President Deling. In return, Deling asked for the Garden's support in war should they ever need it. As in, if Galbadia ever needed to hire SeeDs, they would be granted the best ones, regardless of whether others had requested SeeDs before them or not.

Tonight was a party at the President's building to celebrate their (assumed) victory over Timber. Naturally, General Caraway and his wife were going.

"Julia, are you coming? The car is waiting!" Caraway shouted from the doorway.

"I'm coming, Phillip! Just let me say good night to Rinoa, will you?" Julia was wearing a long, dark blue dress. Her black hair was neatly set up on her head and she had put on the expensive diamond earrings that her husband had bought her. She was a wonderful sight.

"Mama, sing for me…," Their little daughter stood in the door to her bedroom, in her pyjamas. She looked up at her mother with pleading, brown eyes.

"Can't the nanny put her to bed?" Caraway was impatient, "That's what we pay her for, after all."

"Phillip… Just a moment, okay?" Julia smiled at her husband, "Please?"

He sighed, "Oh, all right. I'll tell the driver to wait. Good night, honey," he smiled half-heartedly at his daughter, then walked outside.

Julia took Rinoa's hand and followed her into the bedroom, then helped tucking her into bed, "There, sweetheart… I'll sing you a song, and then you'll be a good girl and go to sleep, okay?"

Rinoa nodded.

"What do you want me to sing?"

"Eyes on Me."

Julia smiled, "You _always_ ask me to sing that. Don't you want to hear something else for once?"

The girl shook her head, "No, it's my favorite."

"Okay, okay," Julia giggled and sat down on the bed, then cleared her voice, "Let's see… ahem…"

_"Whenever sang my songs, on this stage, on my own… Whenever said my words, wishing they would be heard…_ _I saw you smiling at me, was it real or just my fantasy… You'd always be there in the corner, of this tiny little bar…"_

_ _

Rinoa smiled widely, and her childish voice mixed with the beautiful tone of her mother's. She had memorized the text.

"My last night here for you, same old songs, just once more… My last night here with you? Maybe yes, maybe no… I kind of liked it your way, how you shyly placed your eyes on me… Oh, did you ever know, that I had mine on you…"

………

By the end of the song, Julia's voice had lowered to a whisper. Rinoa's eyes were closed and she was already sound asleep, "…If frown is shown then, I will know that you are no dreamer…"

Julia sighed softly and kissed her daughter's forehead, "Good night, my angel," she switched the lights off, then walked out of the room and left the house to join her husband in the car.

She did not know that this particular trip car trip would prove to be fatal…

_ _

_ _

_Chapter 13:_

_ _

_ _

The sun was high on the sky, but nearby, dark clouds were threatening. It was nearing midday, and all the children at the orphanage – now reduced from seven to six – were by the backside of the house. Well, almost all of them. Irvine and Selphie were down by the beach, curiously watching as the men from Balamb delivered food to Edea. Ever so slowly, they moved closer to the small ship…

Quistis, Zell and even Seifer, much to the others' surprise, were playing with a red ball that had been given to them along with the last supply of food. Squall, however, didn't want to join the game. He never did. Instead, he was sitting in a shadowed corner, leaning against the cold stone wall of the house and watching the tip of his shoes.

Ever since Ellone left, he had been like that. If he ever was anti-social before, it had gotten 10 times worse after 'Sis' went with the White SeeD ship. Edea had tried hard to comfort him and explain that Ellone had to leave, that it had nothing to do with him. But it didn't matter. In his eyes, she left him because she didn't like him anymore. Was it because he hadn't trusted her when she gave him that ring? But he did trust her, he told her that. He just couldn't figure out what he had done wrong…

"Hey, Squall. C'mon!" Zell said, "Come and play wif' us. Bet'cha can outrun Seifer any time," despite what the other kids might have thought of him, Zell was good at heart. He always tried to encourage Squall to play with them, but he was always turned down. Squall just didn't reply.

Seifer scowled at Zell, "Shut up!"

"Oh, no, not again," Quistis groaned, "Can't we just play and… be friends, for once?"

Zell looked over at Seifer and frowned, "Well, Squall always ran faster than ya before, bet he's better at playin' ball too. Just 'cause you're bigger doesn't mean you're better at everythin'."

Squall remained silent.

For a moment, Seifer looked like he was ready to jump at Zell's throat, but he changed his mind. Instead, he stepped over to Squall and kicked his leg, "You think you're better than me, huh?"

Caught by surprise, Squall looked up at the older boy quickly, "Ouch!" he winced and rubbed his leg, "I haven't said anything…"

"C'mon! Cry-baby-Zell says you're so tough! Prove it!"

"Seifer, stop it…," Quistis walked towards them. Seifer whirled around and shoved her so she fell backwards, "Don't tell me what to do!"

Then, Squall suddenly got to his feet, "Leave her alone."

"What? Are you her knight or somethin'?" Seifer turned his gaze back to the dark haired boy, "C'mon. Show me what ya got!"

Squall took in a breath. What would Sis have wanted him to do? She'd want him to stand up for himself, right? She wasn't there to help him now… He had to take care of himself. Still, he didn't say anything. He just stood there, staring at Seifer without blinking.

Seifer stepped forward and pushed Squall in the chest. But he hadn't expected Squall to regain his balance so soon, much less had he expected a sound blow to his face. Zell and Quistis stood watching with wide eyes as the two boys started fighting, and they weren't exactly gentle with each other, either.

Even if Seifer was almost a year older, Squall was strong for his age and was indeed a match. No one was sure what the outcome of the fight would be, but they never got the chance to find out. Edea suddenly came running up from the beach and straight over to the fighting boys. She grabbed them by their arms and quickly separated them, then proceeded to shake them both. It was rare to see her this angry, but she did not tolerate fighting. Seifer had a blue eye. Squall's nose was bleeding.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she looked between them, still holding them. Squall was staring at the ground, and Seifer was just looking displeased. He sent a glare in Squall's direction.

"Who started this?"

No reply. But Zell was quick to point at Seifer, "He did!"

Edea turned to Seifer, "Is that true?" Seifer's attention, however, was set on his young rival, and his pouting was replaced by a grin, "Look! Squall's crying!" he triumphed.

All eyes turned to Squall, and the boy squirmed out of Edea's grasp and ran past them, straight through the house. They heard the door slam shut on the other side.

Zell and Quistis didn't say a word. Edea sighed and shook her head, then started to drag Seifer with her into the house, "You come with me, young man."

"Hey, he hit me first!" Seifer protested.

"Ooooh, he's gonna get it good," Zell grinned to himself. Quistis slapped his shoulder, "Be quiet, Zell."

Just as Edea and Seifer disappeared, Irvine and Selphie came up the path. Irvine was carrying a box with him, "Look what we found at the boat!" he said.

"Woo-hoo! We're gonna set up fireworks!" Selphie danced about along with him. Quistis walked over and she opened the box as Irvine proudly showed it to them, "Oh, cool! Where'd ya find 'em, Irvy?"

"It was Sefie who found 'em," Irvine explained, "When Matron went up here, we snuck into the ship, and Sefie found 'em in a corner. Guess they were goin' somewhere else, but… now they're ours!"

"It's bad to steal!" Zell said.

"Oh, phooey, Zell! Don't ruin the fun!" Selphie snorted, "We'll do it tonight when the stars come out! It's gonna be pretty!"

A flash of light interrupted their excitement, along with the deep roll of thunder. The next they knew, the clouds cracked open and it was raining.

"Awww, darn!" Irvine pouted.

Quistis sighed, "Guess we have to wait 'till tomorrow… Where we gonna hide it?"

"I know of a place!" Selphie quickly closed the box and picked it up, then started to run down the path, "There's a cave by the beach. Follow me!"

Irvine immediately ran after her, with Quistis close behind. Somewhat reluctantly, Zell eventually followed, too.

By the front of the house, a young boy was standing in the rain, uncaring of the fact he would soon be soaked to the skin. The rain was a blessing to him – Because of it, no one could see the tears running down his cheeks. Not that there were anyone else out there, anyway. It was no use crying. Crying wouldn't change anything, crying wouldn't make Sis come back, or make Seifer stop bothering him.

Squall just didn't get it. Why did Seifer have so much against him? Truly, he had never done anything to anger him. Every time they were arguing, or fighting like today, it was Seifer who started it. And his attacks just got worse every time. Ever since Sis left.

There was an empty hole in his heart where Ellone once had been. This pain that wouldn't go away, no matter how hard he tried. It didn't matter that the other kids could be nice to him at times. It just wasn't the same. He didn't want their friendship, he didn't want to get close to them. Even Edea had warned them that at any time, someone might come along and want to adopt them, as most of the wars in Galbadia had come to an end. There was a good chance that if he even tried to come close to anyone again, they'd just be taken away from him. Squall promised himself he would never trust anyone again, never let them see how weak he was, never let them get to know him. He could take care of himself.

Taking in a breath, he looked up at the rainy sky, "Sis… I'm… all alone…," he whispered. Slowly, he glanced down at his hand. He was holding the ring she had given to him, "But I'm doing my best…"

"I'll be okay without you, Sis… I'll be able to take care of myself."

Chapter 14:

_ _

_ _

"Have you made a decision yet?" Edea closed the door to the house as she stepped outside, looking at the married couple before her. They were a man and a woman in their mid thirties, obviously a middle class family. For the last five years they had tried to have a baby, without success. Which was why they were here today.

"Well, we really wanted a girl…," the woman began.

"…but little Irvine seems to be a fine boy," her husband finished.

Edea sent them a look that was a little more sharp than what she had intended, "They're all fine boys, Mr. Kinneas. They've all been through a lot, including Irvine, they just have different ways of dealing with it."

Inside, Irvine was standing by the door, eavesdropping. Squall was sitting on one of the beds, staring at the floor. The idle thumping of Seifer kicking an old, red ball into the wall repeatedly, along with the chatting adults outside, were the only sounds heard.

Finally, Irvine turned and bounced out on the middle of the floor, "Yay! You hear that?! They're gonna adopt me! I'm gonna see the world!"

Squall sent him a sidelong glance.

(Good for you.)

Seifer turned to look at Irvine, then shrugged, "Well, didn't ya hear them? They wanted a girl, so when they couldn't have that, they took the closest thing," he grinned.

Irvine just smirked. He had long since learned to not let Seifer provoke him, "You're just jealous. Still stuck here at the orphanage, Seifer? Gee, I wonder why nobody wants you."

The door opened, and Edea peeked inside, "Irvine, could you come out here?"

"Coming, Matron!" the red haired boy took a quick glance at the two other boys, then followed Edea outside. It was not like he was going to miss them. Seifer didn't do anything but throw nasty comments and show off, and Squall hardly said two words to him. Or to anyone at all, in fact.

"There you are," they heard Mrs. Kinneas say as Irvine was out of sight. Squall could imagine Irvine smiling and charming that poor woman to death. Nine years old and females already liked him. It was pathetic.

"So, you said you live in Deling city?" Edea asked. Low murmurs could be heard as they were talking, but Squall could only make out a few of their words.

(I've never even been away from this house.)

"You be good to my boy now. I love all these children as if they were my own, so I want to make sure they'll be taken good care of." Yeah, that was Matron, all right.

(Do you really care that much about us? Not that I've ever cared to find out. You say you love us, but still you'd rather see us adopted and taken away from you. So, what are you gonna do with us two? Wait 'till someone comes along and adopts us too? You think that'll happen? Don't count on it.)

(Not that I care, anyway.)

(That's a lie.)

Seifer shook his head and picked up the ball, then threw it down at the floor, hard, "See, they don't want bastards like us, Squall. They want kids who'll do as they tell 'em. I dunno about you, but I ain't ever gonna let anyone tell me what to do. Nobody wants wild kids – But when I get older, I'll show 'em all."

Silence.

"And you're just way too wimpy. Even if anyone adopted you and took you on the trip of your life, you'd just sit around in a corner and stare at the ground, holding onto that stupid ring of yours. Ain't that right?"

"…Whatever."

"Now, be a good boy, Irvine," Edea bent down and gave him a warm hug, closing her eyes tightly. No tears, not now. Mr. and Mrs. Kinneas were watching, smiling, "I will, Matron, I promise. And when I get big, I'm gonna come visit ya!" Irvine replied.

Edea smiled despite herself and kissed the boy's forehead, then stood up, "Go, now. Go with your new parents."

She watched as Mrs. Kinneas took Irvine's hand. She watched as they walked away from her house, out of her garden, towards the ship to sail away from Centra, out of her life.

Edea sighed. It was never easy to see them go, but it was for the best. They deserved parents and a new future elsewhere. …Quistis had been taken a couple of years ago. She had been adopted by a Mr. and Mrs. Trepe in a small village outside Dollet. Zell was the next to go, adopted by the Dinchts in Balamb. Selphie hadn't got any adoptive parents, but the Headmaster of Trabia Garden had been on search for children to become students there. Even if she was a little young, Selphie's spunky nature had caught his attention, and he had decided to take her with him to Trabia. Selphie, of course, had happily agreed. Now, Irvine was gone. Only two were left.

Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy. Nine and ten years old, both very difficult to deal with in their own separate ways. Edea had hoped a goodhearted soul would want any of them, but no. It wasn't meant to be. She knew she could wait no longer. The older SeeDs at the White SeeD ship had been ordered elsewhere, and Ellone, who was still only 14, had problems taking care of the younger children that were there. They needed an adult.

For a moment, Edea just stood there and looked out at the endless sea of flowers to the west of her house. Then she turned and walked up the stairs to join the boys inside, "Children… I have a suggestion. You remember when I told you about this place called 'Balamb Garden'…?"

_ _

Chapter 15:

_ _

_ _

It was early afternoon in Deling city, and people were walking up and down the streets busily like they always did. Rinoa was sitting on an empty garbage bin outside the hotel, watching the life of the city buzz by. They were always so busy, they always had something to do… all of them. And she was just there. No one even seemed to see her. Not even her own father.

Ever since her mother died five years ago, things had cooled down considerably between Rinoa and General Caraway. He hadn't shown much emotion when Julia had passed away in the car accident, but simply buried himself in his work of leading the Galbadian army, even more than he did before. It was his way of forgetting. Rinoa was lonely and had no one to share her thoughts with.

She used to cry herself to sleep at night, when no one could hear her or see her. Deep inside, she longed for her father to come to her room and comfort her, but it never happened. Now she was 10 years old and had learned to deal with his way loving her: At a distance. Still, she wasn't a girl meant for solitary life, and she needed friends so badly it hurt. 

She was so lonely.

As she sat there, she noticed two boys walk out from the hotel. They seemed to be about her age, and both had dirty and ragged clothes. Their expressions were miserable. Strange, Rinoa thought. Most of the children in Deling were snobby and had that 'I am holier than thou' attitude, because their parents were rich. Her father was one of the mightiest men in Galbadia, yet she had never been proud of it. She preferred walking or taking the bus instead of being escorted by Caraway's expensive cars. She wanted to wear simple and comfortable clothes instead of pretty dresses. In general, she didn't want to believe that anyone was better than someone else just because their parents had a lot of money. She didn't feel any different from anyone else.

Unfortunately, no one seemed to agree with her on that.

Curiously, she leapt down from the garbage bin and made her way over to the boys, "Hi! Isn't it a great day?" she said in a cheerful tone, trying to start a conversation.

They gave her a not-so-friendly look in return, "What's so great about it?" the thin one with black hair asked. The other boy had light brown hair and was not quite as tall as the one who had spoken. He remained silent, and just watched Rinoa in wonder.

Rinoa was a bit embarrassed. Obviously, they were not in a good mood, and she considered just walking away. But she felt forced to ask another question, "Uh.. I haven't seen you guys around here before. Where are you from?"

"Timber," the one who had spoken first said quietly, "We came here with our moms… They're still inside the hotel. We had to run away," his expression darkened.

"Why?" Rinoa was oblivious.

"Don't you know? There's a war there. The Galbadians are trying to take over our city and they're ruining everything! We just want to be independent, but they keep saying we'll be better off if we surrender to them. They've burnt down the entire forest outside our town…," the boy swallowed, "My dad… and his dad…," he motioned to the other boy, "…they used to be in a resistance group, but..," suddenly, he looked very pained and bent down, groaning in agony, "Oww, my stomach!"

Confused, Rinoa kneeled next to him, "Oh! Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I'll be… okay.. Just talk to Watts. Talk to Watts, okay? Owwww…"

The other boy who had been quiet until now cleared his voice as Rinoa looked up at him, "Ahem, I'm Watts, miss. What Zone is trying to say is that our fathers were in a resistance group… But the Galbadians found our headquarters and killed them…," he looked at the ground sadly, "We had to escape. Timber is a total mess… We always knew they could find us at any time, but…"

Rinoa put a hand to her mouth as she stood back up, "Oh, how awful!" …she had heard about the war in Timber, but she had never known it was this bad. Her father had always told her it was for their own good – That they would be blessed with new technology and a new way of life. So this was what it was really like? They weren't blessed – They were forced to live a life they didn't want. People were killed and children had to run away. In the mind of a ten-year-old, that seemed so awfully wrong and pointless. Her father had lied to her. Rinoa didn't even notice that she was voicing her thoughts.

"…He lied to me."

"What?" Zone and Watts asked in unison. Zone was still holding his stomach, but it seemed like he was calming down.

"My father," Rinoa replied, "He lied to me. He never told me this is what it's really like… And he should know. He's a general."

"Wait a minute… a general?" Zone asked, "THE general?"

"General Caraway, ma'am?" Watts asked.

"Yeah," Rinoa looked surprised, "Do you know him?"

"Know him??" Zone was at his feet rather quickly, "KNOW him?! He's the one who's responsible for all of this! He's the one who's ordered all the soldiers into our town! He and President Deling. My dad told me!" he shouted.

Watts nodded, "That's right. Sorry, miss, but we can't talk with you. You're a Caraway."

Rinoa was shocked, to say the least. It took her a short while to even regain her voice, but when she did, she didn't sound happy, "That's not MY fault! I didn't choose my parents! I didn't even know this was happening!"

People had started to turn and look at the kids with the loud voices. Some snorted in disgust, others stared. Rinoa noticed them and felt herself start to blush. She was both angry and disappointed, although more with her father than anyone else.

Her voice lowered, "I can't believe that my fa- … _that man_… would do a thing like that…," she shook her head and looked down at the ground. The father she knew, the one that was cold, but still loving and protecting in his own way, was dead to her now. He had helped causing the death of many people, leaving their children without parents, husbands without wives and wives without husbands. He had helped ruining the life of a whole city. For almost 11 years now.

"Hey, miss…," Watts put a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. Don't cry."

Rinoa didn't realize that her eyes were wet before the boy before her said it. She blinked and wiped her tears away, "I'm fine."

"If you're so sad about it, why don't you help us?" Zone asked, "Me and Watts are going back to Timber once we get enough money, to continue where our dads had to stop… We still need to plan everything. It might take a while, even years, but we'll manage," he said, determined, "Timber will be free again."

"That's right, miss," Watts added.

(What can I do… What can _we_ do? We're all just kids… ) Rinoa took in a breath. Deling City had nothing to offer her, and right now, she didn't even want to look at her father. Maybe she could start training… She could learn combat. And magic. She had always been told she was a smart girl – she could help these boys plan and fight. Everything to liberate this town. Anything to correct the mistake her father had done.

And being only 10 years old, completely irrational, naive and lusting for adventure, Rinoa believed, in that moment, that she could do it. She already liked these boys: They were so brave, and they believed in themselves, because they had each other to trust. That's what Rinoa wanted. To be free. Independent. To have friends.

"I'll do it. I'll help."

"Yay! That's great!" Zone cheered, but he then he paused, hesitating, "You'd better not be a spy for you father."

Rinoa sent him a cold glance, "That man is not my father. Not anymore. We're going to help free Timber, us three."

"Yeah, we might be a little young now…," Watts said, "But in a few years, we'll be older and can take care of ourselves. We can do it, miss, I'm sure," he smiled.

"I'll join you if you _please_ stop calling me 'miss'."

"What do you want us to call you then? Princess?" Watts tilted his head.

"My name is Rinoa," the girl winked, "But 'princess' will work, too."


	4. Chapters 16 - 20

Chapter 16:

_ _

Quistis narrowed her eyes and squinted, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not see what the instructor wrote on the blackboard.

"And this is the homework for tomorrow…," she heard Instructor Williams say. Frowning, Quistis finally gave up and searched through her bag for a moment, then pulled out her brand new glasses and put them on. The other kids gave her a few weird looks, "Didn't know you had glasses…," one of them whispered.

Quistis shrugged and proceeded to write down the homework. Read page 54-65 and write a 300 words essay on the political problems of Galbadia. What a fun way to spend your day. The bell rang and class was over, and sighing, Quistis gathered her books and stepped out of the classroom.

Things hadn't gone too well in her new home. She had been adopted at the age of 8, but was already too independent and marked by her years in an orphanage. She wasn't willing to adapt to having a family, and she didn't feel comfortable with her new parents, Mr. and Mrs. Trepe. Thus she was often very difficult for them to deal with, often depressed, and often she missed her friends who she had grown up with in Edea's house. Quistis could get frustrated by the mere fact that her adoptive mother had helped her clean her room while she was at school – that was _HER_ job. She felt as if they wouldn't understand she could take care of herself, when in reality they were just trying to give her a normal home.

When she was 10, she had been sent to Balamb Garden, partly out of her own wish, partly out of her parents' wish. They couldn't deal with her anymore. Quistis felt she was better off in a military school like this anyway. It hadn't been as easy as she thought it would be, though. Since she was one of the youngest in the Garden, she had a hard time getting friends, and friends was an important part of Quistis' world. There was no one who really cared, no one who looked after you. At the age of 10, Quistis was completely on her own, more than she had ever been before. She kept her frustration inside and was still often depressed, but buried her sorrows in schoolwork and always tried her best. If she became the best, then people would respect her. Now, she was almost 11, and in a couple of years, she could start training combat. She would work so hard she would become the best SeeD anyone had ever seen. She had made up her mind on that.

As she headed through the Garden on her way to her dorm, Quistis happened to pass by a couple of young boys who were arguing rather fiercely. Curious, she stopped and observed them.

She had seen them before, but only at a distance. They were new in the Garden, but still, she felt an odd sense of recognition. One of the boys were blonde, and the other, slightly younger one had dark brown hair that really needed to be cut. Both were strongly built for their age, she thought. It was one of the things she had learned to notice here in Garden. Who were fit for survival, and who weren't.

Quistis couldn't quite grasp exactly what they were arguing about, but it seemed to be something stupid. The blonde boy was constantly insulting the brown haired one, and instead of ignoring him, the younger boy kept defending himself and snapping back. The arguing was rapidly getting more heated, and the blonde kid started pushing the other. Quistis decided she should interfere before they started fighting and got the Garden Faculty on their backs.

"Hey, you two, stop that!" she said in the best stern voice a 11-year-old could manage. The two boys did stop and looked at her, the blonde one in annoyance, the dark haired one had a blank expression, but she could tell he was on the verge of tears. Those hurt eyes… She had seen them before.

"What do you care?" the older of the two boys growled and let go of the other one's shirt.

"You're not allowed to fight. If you're going to fight, you'll have to wait a few years and then do it in the training area," Quistis lectured, only receiving the same blank look as before, and a roll of the eyes in return.

"Fine. Squally boy was starting to bore me, anyway," the blonde boy snorted and turned to walk away. The younger boy glared after him.

"Are you okay?" Quistis asked, still trying to figure out why she had this strange feeling of knowing them both. Squally boy… Wait a minute… Squall? Did that mean… She looked in the direction that the blonde boy had went off to.

"…I'm fine," Squall muttered and tried to straight out his crumpled shirt.

"Squall?" Quistis looked back at him, "Is that really you?" He looked at her, even more blankly than before.

"Don't you remember? It's me, Quistis! From the orphanage? Was that Seifer? He always used to pick on you!" Suddenly she smiled, "Wow, I had no idea you guys were here! How'd you get here?"

Squall didn't seem to be interested, but he offered a nod, "Yeah, I remember… Didn't recognize you with the… glasses," he shrugged, "Matron sent us here. She said she knew the headmaster."

Quistis continued to smile, "Well, that's great." Finally someone her age, someone she knew. She remembered Squall. How cute he used to be, and how quiet and sad he had been after Sis had disappeared. He really needed someone to look after him, Quistis thought. Someone to protect him from Seifer… Seifer was always so mean. She had never liked him.

"Want to go to the cafeteria with me? If we hurry, there might be some hot dogs left."

The boy shook his head quickly, "No… I have better things to do," that came out more unfriendly than he had intended it to, but he didn't care about the hurt expression Quistis gave him in return. Did he? Nah.

He made an apologetic gesture with his hand and turned to leave.

Quistis looked after him, unsure of how to react, "Okay… bye then," …So much for trying to be nice. But she wouldn't give up that quickly. Squall needed a friend… A big sister, perhaps. 

She just wanted to help him.

Chapter 17:

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_ _

Three more years went by, and the three children from the orphanage continued their training. Boring lessons about the basics of world politics and military were gradually replaced with lectures in self-defense and fighting. Quistis was doing incredibly well. 14 years old, and she was already one of the best students Balamb Garden had ever had, far more skilled than most of the students older than her. At the age of 12, she had been allowed to choose a weapon to specialize in, and she had chosen the whip. Ridiculous weapon, some would say, but they soon changed their mind when they saw the grace and perfection she handled it with. Several monsters in the Training Center met their fate at the powerful blow of Quistis' chain whip.

Squall, too, had been allowed to start training with weapons a little early. He seemed to fit in so perfectly at a military school. Everything was rules and orders. No one ever asked your opinion, they didn't want you to talk, only to listen and do as you're told. That way, he could easily avoid getting to know anyone, or even more important, letting anyone get to know him. The gunblade he had decided on seemed a little too difficult for him at first, but Squall wasn't one to give up on a challenge. Especially when he saw that Seifer had picked the same weapon. He hadn't been training for long when his instructors saw great development in his way of fighting with the gunblade. Headmaster Cid was pleased. They needed a gunblade expert at Balamb Garden.

The only one who didn't seem to fit in was Seifer. While he was just as good with the gunblade as Squall, and had almost equally good grades, all the rules of what you could and couldn't do bothered him. Whenever he was training, there were orders he had to follow. Watch out for the t-rexaur. Kill that grat, don't bother with the bigger ones. Or simply the orders everywhere else in the Garden. No running in the library. No walking about after curfew. No breakfast after 9 AM. It wasn't so much that it was hard to follow. It was just the mere annoyance of having to be told what to do. Still, Seifer had nowhere else to go, and anyway, he found the training strangely intoxicating and exciting. Fighting was a whole new way of seeking power for him. When he was killing monsters, it gave him this feeling of ruling the world. In that moment, he could do anything. Everything. Imagine if he just kept it up… he could become the favorite student of Garden. Seifer, the gunblade expert. They would all look up to him. He would be the center of attention, the leader of important missions…

…if it wasn't for Squall. Squall and his incredibly annoying perfection. Squall, Seifer's rival. It had been like that from the day they could walk and talk. Squall was almost one year younger, yet he had caught up with Seifer's strength and intelligence quickly. He could outrun him when they were playing, and he always got the most attention from Ellone. Sis. This didn't seem to bother the other kids, but it bothered Seifer. What was so special about Squall that made him deserve her more than them? And when Ellone had left, Squall had more or less retreated into his own world and didn't talk with anyone – And STILL the others would rather side with Squall than with Seifer when there was a fight.

Now, Squall was rivaling him in becoming a good student. A great student. A great SeeD. Squall didn't even acknowledge that he was trying to challenge Seifer, but Seifer knew he was. Squall had long since stopped crying when the older boy taunted him, and like before, he always took up the challenge. The problem was that, as often as not, Squall would win. He was becoming stronger, better, and Seifer disliked the way Squall was standing in his way.

He didn't hate Squall. He never had. In fact, he admired Squall's skills and didn't deny them. But the rivaling kept them apart and held up the wall that had always been between them - the only thing that kept them from being friends? Brothers? Seifer didn't even want to think that thought.

This morning, they had been practicing with their gunblades. Seifer had been leading and was sure to win, when Squall had made an unexpected move and knocked the gunblade right out of Seifer's hand. The humiliation was still burning in Seifer's chest. That look on Squall's face… He hadn't been laughing, he hadn't been smiling, he hadn't looked triumphant at all. He had just stood there, leaning on the gunblade and watching Seifer with a blank expression. As if he took his victory as granted. That expressionless face had annoyed Seifer more than anything, and he had abruptly picked up his gunblade and left.

An hour later, he was sitting on one of the benches in the main hall of Garden, pouting and angrily tapping his gunblade against the floor. A glare from a Garden Faculty made him stop.

(One day… You'll all look up to me…)

Two strange figures, who were apparently approaching him, caught Seifer's attention. He had seen them before; they were new in Garden, and everyone had been giving them weird glances, with good reason. One was a male, around Seifer's age, big and muscular, dark haired and had tanned skin. The other was a pale female who was always dressed in blue. She appeared to be the same age as Seifer too, possibly one year older. Still, her short hair, which covered half of her face, was an unnatural silvery gray, and her left eye was covered by a black eye patch. They were, without doubt, the weirdest couple in Garden. If they could even be called a couple. The female kept bossing around the male and kicking his legs if she didn't like his actions.

(Great… Morons heading my way...)

"Fujin, he really looks down, ya know?" the boy said as he observed Seifer.

"DEPRESSED," The silver haired female stated, crossing her arms as she came to a halt next to her companion. Her one eye stared in a way that made Seifer nervous.

"Leave me alone, you freaks," The blonde boy muttered, clenching his fist in annoyance.

"UPSET," the girl added. The boy beside her nodded.

"Fujin's right, ya know? Ya look like ya sold your mother and didn't get paid, ya know?" he moved closer, but stopped as Seifer shot him a warning glare.

"What do you care?"

Fujin shrugged, "You look like you need a friend," her words were spoken with difficulty. Her companion gave her a surprised look. Fujin rarely spoke in the way that would be considered 'normal'. She must have liked this spiteful boy, and he was never one to question her decisions. She did not like that.

Seifer watched her for a moment, then he sighed and leaned back against the bench, "Just pondering how to beat that smugness – which I know is there – out of a… person… I know," he said, more to himself than anyone, "You're new here, huh? I'm Seifer Almasy."

"My name's Raijin. Just Raijin, ya know? And she's Fujin," he dark boy shrugged as Seifer gave him a weird look, "It's just what we're called, ya know?"

"SEIFER," Fujin smiled, tasting the word. Seifer felt a strong need to ask them both a whole lot of questions. Yet, he figured the questions could wait.

Somehow, he had a feeling this was just the beginning. Of what? He wasn't sure.

"Pleased to meet you," he offered, in the most polite tone Seifer Almasy could possibly produce – and it couldn't be helped that his greeting sounded half-hearted. Seifer was never a polite person.

_Chapter 18:_

_ _

_ _

(It's quiet…)

Squall was lying on his bed in the dorm room. It was the middle of the night, or rather, very early in the morning: 4 AM. Outside, birds had started chirping and the weak light that intruded the dark room implied that dawn was approaching. His roommate hadn't returned yet.

Bobby, Squall's roommate, was 4 years older than himself, and also Squall's complete opposite. He was rude, outgoing, and maybe a little dense. Usually, he snuck out in the night after curfew and didn't return before the sun had rose, exhausted. Squall didn't even bother to wonder where Bobby was in the night. It didn't matter. The two of them never spoke to each other, never crossed each others' paths. They merely nodded in greeting if they happened to bump into the other on the way in or out of the room.

It didn't matter to Squall. As long as Bobby left him alone, he was satisfied.

The wall that Squall had been struggling to build around himself, was finally complete. 13 years old, and he had already earned the title of a lone wolf. Friendless, anti-social, never smiling, never talking unless he had to. He was unable to see how wrong it was, how much he lost – How could he? Every single person he had ever cared for was gone. Sis had been taken away when he was only 5, and that's when he started building the wall. Wrapping himself in a shell that no one could seem to break. None of his childhood friends, and not even Matron. They had left him too. They probably didn't know it, but he missed them. He missed Matron, he missed Zell, Selphie and Quistis. One by one they had been removed from his life. When he found Quistis again, it was already too late. She had, without having any guilt in it at all, hurt him like everybody else, and he hadn't wanted to get close to her again. The only one that had been with him all the time was Seifer. And Seifer could hardly be considered a friend.

Squall didn't hate Seifer. He had no reason to – he knew that his constant attacks came out of jealousy, not out of hatred. In the beginning, he had stood up to Seifer because he thought it would bring Sis back. As a child, he had been convinced that Sis left him because she didn't like him anymore. No one had ever even attempted to give him a proper explanation of why she left. If he made the right decisions, if he showed her he wasn't weak, that Seifer couldn't control him, then maybe, maybe Ellone would come back.

Eventually, he came to realize the truth. Sis wouldn't ever come back. She was gone for good. Squall never, ever wanted to experience that pain again. The pain of losing the one you loved the most.

He sat up in his bed and studied his hand. The Griever ring Ellone had given him was still a little big, but no longer too big for him to wear. Pulling off the ring, he took it in his palm and wrapped his fingers around it, closing his eyes.

It had been so humiliating. That day when Seifer had started picking on him, and had said something degrading about Sis. The memory was stuck in Squall's mind. Everybody had been there, Quistis, his classmates, even some of the older students. It was almost 3 years ago now. Seifer's harsh words always hurt his emotions, but when he mentioned Sis, it was too much. They had all seen Squall's tears, all heard his words as he said aloud to himself, "I've got to stand up to him, so Sis will come back." For once, Squall had been the first to hit, but the fight was short-lived. Garden Faculty separated them quickly, and both got in big trouble with the headmaster.

Never again. Tears were useless. Fighting for her was useless. Sis was gone, and that was the end of it. Squall still took up Seifer's challenges, but not for Ellone's sake, anymore.

Seifer had been right. Squall did enjoy beating him, and it was what kept him going. What did he want to accomplish in Garden? He hadn't been sent here on choice. Edea had suggested it, probably to get them both out of her way. But the Garden needed a gunblade expert, and the two boys with equal skills were always a challenge to each other. It kept them both going. The wish to be the best. Only Seifer did it so he could brag about it and feel the power. Squall did it for himself.

To prove he could take care of himself. He didn't need anyone to depend on, he didn't need the world. He wasn't a child anymore. And it had to be admitted, for being 13, Squall was acting very adult. More than what was good for him.

(…Why depend on others? In the end, you're on your own… I've learned that the hard way.)

He glanced at the ring again, then put it back on his finger. The necklace… Sis had told him to always wear it, but he couldn't remember where he had got it from. It didn't matter. He liked the necklace, and the ring was his only memory of the only person who had ever heard the words 'I love you' escape his lips.

With those thoughts circling inside his head, Squall laid back down and eventually he drifted off to a troubled sleep.

7:00 AM. An alarm clock started beeping. A grunt was heard from beneath the sheets of the bed. A hand stretched out and turned off the alarm. Everything went quiet.

Somewhere else in the dorm, someone else got up. The boy, roughly 15 years old, glanced at his sleeping roommate. Grinning, he devilishly decided to let him sleep, and went to take a shower.

7:46 AM. A set of sea blue eyes popped open. Something was… wrong. A head filled with messy, blonde hair turned and its owner gazed at the alarm clock next to the bed.

"Aw, HELL! I'm gonna be late!" Zell Dincht was on his feet in a matter of seconds. As he pulled on his pants, he mumbled an amazing amount of cussing words, and all of them involved his roommate, Mark, "I TOLD him to wake me if I fell back asleep! Man, I'm gonna KILL him!"

This was usual routine for Zell. Every morning, he was late, and every morning, he missed breakfast and came running into class at the last minute. Every day, he got yelled at for it after class, and every day, he was late for lunch and missed the hotdogs. But that was all a part of being Zell Dincht – it came as naturally to him as martial arts and cussing.

The boy had just recently joined Balamb Garden. When he was 7, he had been adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Dincht who lived in Balamb. Unlike Quistis, who had been very uncomfortable in her new home, Zell loved his adoptive parents dearly and they had got along well. Especially Zell and his mother. His father was a seaman and didn't stay at home for long period of time, so he and Zell had always been a little distant to each other. Still, he considered them his real parents more than he had ever considered his friends at the orphanage a family. With time, he had grown from a wimpy child to a reckless, but strong and honest teenager.

His interest in martial arts he had 'inherited' from his grandfather – his mother's father - who in his time was the best of them all. Zell had learned a lot from him, and his grandfather saw the boy had potential. He was the one who suggested Zell should go further with his skills, and as Balamb Garden was so close, it was the natural choice. There he could learn how to use his skill for real fighting. While most of the other students in Garden had to choose a weapon, Zell didn't need anything but his own hands and a pair of strong gloves.

As he rushed down the hall from the dormitory, Zell ran right into another boy, who nearly lost his balance and just barely managed to keep himself from falling. Zell feared the other would start an argument. He didn't have time for that now – if he hurried up, he could even manage to reach class in time today, "Sorry, man. It was an accident."

There was silence for a while, then the brown haired boy shrugged, "Whatever."

"Hey… You're in my class, aren't you?" Zell studied the slightly younger boy, "You're the quiet one," he grinned, "Looking forward to class? We're gonna learn how to junction GFs. Boring, huh? But I can't wait to learn how to use magic. I'm gonna blast up those monsters good."

Rolling his eyes, Squall started to walk down the hall. They'd both be late if this kid didn't shut up soon. Zell followed and kept talking, "I've heard this rumor that GFs make you lose memory. Stupid, isn't it? You think it's true?"

A shrug was all he got in reply. Zell didn't say anything for a while, but Squall had a feeling the silence wouldn't last.

He was right.

As they stepped out of the elevator, Zell suddenly asked, "Do I know you from somewhere? I have this creepy feeling I've met you before… Maybe in Balamb? Where you from?"

"Not from Balamb," Squall looked up for the first time, "I don't think I know you… Sorry."

With that, he stepped into the classroom and found his seat quickly, leaving a rather puzzled Zell behind. 

In his mind, Squall could have recognized Zell anywhere, even after six years, but his wounded heart refused to admit it. It didn't matter. Zell was a part of his past, and he didn't need him as a friend anymore. He didn't need anyone.

Chapter 19:

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"Oh my God…," Rinoa whispered as she stared in wonder at the tiny prize she held in her arms, "She's so adorable… She's the cutest thing I've ever seen!"

The puppy barked playfully and licked Rinoa's face, causing the girl to giggle with joy.

General Caraway stood next to his daughter, smiling in satisfaction, "I take it you like it?"

Rinoa was still completely caught up with her new pet, hugging the small puppy against her chest lovingly. But at her father's question, realization dawned upon her, and the smile faded. As her brown eyes met his own, they were shooting daggers, "How DARE you?!" she hissed. She could see the confusion find its way to his face, but she didn't care – she would explain it to him. She would explain it well.

"How dare you try to bribe me?" Rinoa shook her head in frustration. The puppy whimpered, feeling how her mood changed.

"Honey, I didn't-"

"Don't you 'honey' me! Did you really think this – of all the lowest things to do - would work? Did you think a sweet gift would change everything?" her voice was dangerous, filled with anger. General Caraway didn't even get a chance to defend himself.

Rinoa set the puppy back down in the basket and rose from the floor, glaring at her father, "You're killing people! You're forcing my friends' families to do something they don't want to! Just for your own benefit! You don't care about what happens to them, you don't care about all the pain they've done through, all the loved ones they've lost! And you expect me to FORGET because of a dog??"

"Rinoa, listen to me. It's my job. I have to carry out my orders, and-"

"You could quit!" Rinoa threw her arms up, "I don't care about this big mansion! I just want a father I can be proud of – a father that don't go around ordering people to KILL!"

There was an awkward pause. The black haired girl struggled to find words. Rinoa had turned into a beautiful, young woman, stubborn and strong in her beliefs. After she had met Zone and Watts, her life had never been the same again. Despite her father's denial of her actions, she defied him and started her training. One of the escapees from Timber, a middle-aged woman named Jane, had offered to teach Rinoa the arts of fighting. While still inexperienced, Rinoa could easily defend herself with her Blaster Edge. Not that she had been in any real fight yet, but the time would come soon. She and her friends were heading to Timber shortly, to finally carry out their plans, and it was this decision that General Caraway was desperately trying to stop. In his own way, he just wanted to protect his daughter. But just like her mother, Rinoa didn't want to be treated like a china doll.

"You never cared about what I want, though, did you?" the girl said slowly, her voice quivering, "Not about me, and not about mom. You've always been telling us what to do, you never listened. Well, like it or not… General… I'm going to Timber tomorrow, and there's nothing you can do to stop me! I'm 15 years old and I can make my own decisions!"

"Rinoa, I forbid it!" The General boomed, his voice suddenly rising, "You are my daughter, and you are to stay here, where you are safe! And by all means, there's plenty I can do to stop you!"

"I am NOT your daughter!" Rinoa was in tears, but she kept her tone even and determined, "If you're going to stop me, you won't be able to do it without hurting me, because I'll fight back!"

She paused again, sobbing. How much didn't the General want to hug her and take her pains away? But he knew better. There was nothing he could do. Inwardly, he was torn apart, torn between his duties and his love for his daughter.

Rinoa lifted her hand to the necklace that she was wearing. Her mother's wedding ring was attached to it. Holding the ring to her chest, she swallowed, "From this day on, I am no longer your daughter. I am no longer a Caraway. I am Rinoa Heartilly, daughter of Julia Heartilly – the way she was before you destroyed her and made her stop singing," Rinoa saw the pain in her father's eyes. She wanted to see that pain. He had hurt her so much.

"Rinoa…," he whispered. Shaking her head, she turned away from him.

For a long while, he simply stood there, staring at her. Then he bent down to pick up the basket with the puppy. But Rinoa beat him to it.

She quickly grabbed the puppy and held it close, "No. It's not her fault that you have become the man you are. I'll keep her," With that, the girl walked out of the room, leaving a wounded General behind.

…

Wiping away a few tears, Rinoa sat down beneath a tree in the park. She slowly stroked the puppy's fur, who was wagging her tail and licking at her new owner's hand.

"You'll need a name…," Rinoa mused. She thought about a character in one of her mother's songs. It was about a young girl named Angel who was in love. Almost all of Julia's songs were about love… More often than not, unhappy love.

"Angel… No, that's too …soft," Rinoa smiled, "Angelo. Do you like that name?"

The puppy barked a happy reply.

"Angelo it is then."

Rinoa leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes. Tomorrow was the big day. Only she was leaving with three friends, instead of two like she had thought.

Her mother always used to call her Angel. Maybe that song was inspired by her?

# Black hair as soft as velvet…

_Brown eyes that could never lie…_

_Why couldn't he see her beauty?_

_Without his love, the Angel would die…_

_ _

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Chapter 20:

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Headmaster Martine had a lightly suspicious expression on his face as he looked through the application. After reading through it in its entirety, he put the document down on his desk and leaned back in his chair briefly, studying the young man who was standing in front of him, before standing up.

"So, Mr. Irvine Kinneas… You want to join Galbadia Garden?"

The boy nodded in reply. He was barely 15 ½ years old, but seemed both tall and strong for his age. He was wearing a long coat and a cowboy hat – his long, reddish hair, with exception of the bangs that hung down at the sides of his face, was pulled back in a ponytail. The cowboy hat implied where he came from.

Just a few months after Irvine had been adopted, Mr. Kinneas – his father – had lost his job in Deling City. The small family had been forced to move, because they couldn't afford living in the large house in Deling anymore. So, they had moved out to the open plains of Galbadia, not too far away from the Garden, where they had found an old and abandoned house. After days of work, Mr. Kinneas' skilled hands had transformed the old house into a nice and perfectly livable home.

The Kinneas family had started a chocobo ranch, more or less. The market wasn't that great, and there were plenty of competing ranches scattered around the continent, but it was enough to make a living.

Already as a 10 year old, Irvine had developed a liking for guns. His father was rather good at shooting, and he needed the skill too, to keep the monsters from intruding his ranch and harming the chocobos.

Irvine's adoptive father had been practicing, shooting at some boxes, when Irvine came by. He had watched for a while before asking to try. Somewhat reluctantly, his father had allowed him to do so, and almost at the first try, Irvine shot a perfect hit. The boy had talent.

From that day, it only went one way for Irvine. He was soon even better than his father, and the gun became his best friend. Still, the only living things he'd shoot at were monsters.

Life at the ranch quickly became boring for him, though, and as the chocobo market was decreasing, the Kinneas couple decided it was time Irvine got out on his own. In Galbadia Garden he could be trained even further in his shooting skills, and as a SeeD, he would be able to earn his own gil. Besides, Irvine was a social person, and secretively he was looking forward to meet all the young female students at Garden…

So there he was, at the Galbadia Garden Headmaster's office. Little did he know that all his friends from the orphanage – he still hadn't forgotten about them – were living in Garden too, although not in the same one.

"Mr. Kinneas, I have to be honest with you…," Headmaster Martine said slowly, "You are almost 16, and normally, students start their training at the age of 13 or 14. Starting your training this late… It will mean you won't be able to graduate when you are 17, which is the norm. Some students even graduate at 16… In extreme cases at 15. You've lost a lot, and it will not be an advantage for either you, or us."

"I understand that, but I still wanna give it a shot. Don't wanna disappoint my old folks, you know?" Irvine insisted, obviously not very good at being formal.

"Then tell me, Mr. Kinneas. What makes you think you fit in Garden? The training is hard, and the job we do… is extremely dangerous and demanding. What do you have that would convince me to let you in? It's expensive to run this school. I have to make sure nothing goes to waste," Headmaster Martine wasn't an easy person to deal with, and was clearly hesitant about this slightly rude and oblivious boy, "Go on. Impress me."

Irvine frowned and glanced around the room, his blue eyes settling on the window. Walking past the headmaster, he promptly opened the window and took his gun off his shoulder.

"Mr. Kinneas… What are you doing?" Martine stepped up next to him, "You are not allowed to-"

"See those cones in the top of that tree?" Irvine made a nodding motion towards a tall pine tree a good distance away.

Martine had to concentrate hard and squint to even see them at all, "Yes…"

"Now watch…," Irvine lifted the gun and aimed at the tree… It took him a few seconds to get it perfect. Then, he fired the gun. The bullet hit the top of the pine… and the cones fell to the ground.

The headmaster stared, speechless.

Irvine slowly turned around and blew the smoke off the mouth of the gun, "Gunman expert Irvine Kinneas at your service, sir."

The intercom crackled through the halls of Trabia Garden. It was Headmaster Thomson's voice.

"Miss Selphie Tilmitt, would you please report to the Headmaster's office? I repeat, Miss Selphie Tilmitt, please report to the Headmaster's office. Thank you."

Two girls, who were sitting watching some rather handsome guys playing a game of basketball, looked up in surprise at the message. Maria shoved her friend's side with her elbow, "Selphie, what have you done _this_ time?" she asked, giggling

Selphie frowned, "If it's about the soap in Jason's pizza, you know nothing, okay?"

"Sure thing," Maria grinned, "Strange, I didn't think the Headmaster would care that much about Jason's well-being, though…"

Shrugging, Selphie rose and left the basketball hall.

There was a knock at Headmaster Thomson's door, "Come on in."

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Selphie asked nervously as she entered, doing a quick SeeD salute out of respect.

"Ah, yes, Selphie… I have news for you," the headmaster smiled warmly, which made Selphie relax considerably. He rose from his chair and cleared his voice, "As you know, you failed the last written exam by only 2 points…," he began.

Wincing lightly and wishing he wouldn't remind her, Selphie nodded.

"However, since you were so close, I decided you should have another chance… And the good news are: You passed this time."

Selphie's eyes widened and she smiled brightly, "Really?? WOO-HOO!" she exclaimed and leapt into the air, "Does that mean I can take the field exam now?!"

Smiling at the young girl's enthusiasm, the headmaster nodded, "Well… almost. Because you didn't pass the first test, you missed out on your chance taking the field exam this year… It's already over, I'm afraid. I had hoped you would make it, but…"

Her expression falling, Selphie let out a quiet, "Oh."

"BUT…," Thomson continued, "You'll be able to take the first field exam next year, and you won't have to take another written test. Since we can not offer field exams here at Trabia, you will be transferred to Balamb Garden next autumn for your final exam."

"Does that mean I can finally become a SeeD?" The headmaster nodded. Selphie smiled again, but hesitated, "I'm going to miss my friends, though…"

"You'll see your friends again, don't worry. And just think about this opportunity, Miss Tilmitt. I always knew you had it in you. You'll do fine. Out of all the Garden students, only about 30% actually become SeeDs. You're gifted."

"Thank you, sir," Selphie blushed, "I try my best."

"I know you do," he winked at her, "You're dismissed."

Selphie nodded and quickly saluted, then left the office.

Seconds later, the girl's cheerful voice rang through Trabia Garden as she shouted, "Woo-hoo! I'm gonna be a SeeD!!!"


	5. Chapters 21 - 24

Chapter 21:

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_ _

Admiring glances and envious comments replaced the usual chatter as a certain lady walked down the main hall of Balamb Garden. Rumors spread quickly, she thought, shyly looking at the other students out of the corner of her eyes. She tried her best to act dignified and mature, keep a straight face, but there was no way denying it. Quistis Trepe enjoyed all the attention.

She could remember what it was like when she was new. All the looks from the older students – they were different then. Challenging her. Asking her what she was good for. It was a fact that most students never made it as far as to become a real SeeD, and this fragile, little blonde girl with glasses could surely be no exception.

Quistis had surprised them all. She was far from fragile – she had the devotion and stubbornness she needed to accomplish her goal. Her grades were unusually high, and the crack of her whip could frighten any student in Garden. Already when she was 15, she took her field exam and graduated as a SeeD. 

Now, almost two years later, she had achieved more than she could have hoped for. Just this morning, Quistis had received her Instructor license, and when next semester begun she would have her own class. 17 years old, and she was one of the most respected members of Garden. The very thought of it was thrilling.

As she passed around the corner, she saw a familiar boy emerge from the dormitory. That boy… How many times had she tried to help him and be his friend? And how many times had he given her the cold shoulder? Squall… the boy who didn't talk to anyone. Didn't let anyone get close to him. He was a year younger than her, tall and handsome. His dark hair was too long and hung into his face, which always carried a frown.

Quistis would like to know what it was that troubled him. It was strange… despite his cold attitude, she felt… attracted to him? There was this feeling inside of her, which she couldn't quite explain or describe. She felt for him. She wanted to protect him, but had failed so far… The other boy he always fought with. Seifer. He was a trouble-maker. She wanted to protect her boy against him, but she always failed. Besides, Squall seemed able to protect himself…

This protective feeling… Was it love? It had to be. Quistis had this strange feeling of knowing him all her life, but she knew that was impossible. She had first met him here at Garden, right? Right. …No, she couldn't remember. She could vaguely recall her family… She had left them when… how old was she? 10? Something like that. It wasn't important. Garden was her home now. And Squall was there.

The boy was about to walk right by, not even bothering to look up. Quistis cleared her voice, "Squall?"

At the sound of his name, he glanced at her.

"Did you hear Seifer failed his field exam?" she asked, in a vain attempt to start a conversation.

Squall frowned even more deeply, if possible, "Again?"

She nodded, "He didn't follow orders correctly… He needs to be more careful. In fact, he was lucky he didn't get killed. I'm glad you're not rushing things like he is… You made a good choice by waiting until next year."

No reply. Quistis decided to go on talking, "Anyway… Right now he's in Timber with the rest of the Disciplinary Committee. Xu and Headmaster Cid thought it was best he got some time to cool off."

"Why Timber?"

Quistis shrugged, "Who knows? He said he felt some sort of… attachment to that town, but it hardly seems like the right place to go on a vacation. I mean, the place is a complete mess because of the war."

"He's just looking for action," Squall said quietly, then proceeded to walk down the hall.

"Squall?" Quistis called out, "I just wanted to say… It's good you're not like him. You're doing great. Just keep going the same way and you'll be a SeeD before you know it."

"Whatever…"

Chapter 22:

_ _

_ _

There was an old, lonely oak tree just outside the borders of Timber. The forest that once thrived in the area was long gone, and this single, solitary tree was the only reminder of the beautiful, green growth.

The wind gently made the branches wave. It swirled around the leaves, playing with them, ruffling them. Then it swept down and caressed the cheek of a lone girl resting by the oak's trunk.

Rinoa closed her eyes and let the wind blow strands of black hair out of her face. It felt good to relax, even though she hadn't accomplished anything to deserve it. At least, in her eyes, she hadn't.

When she came to Timber a year earlier, she had been filled with so many hopes and dreams. She wanted to help her friends, make a difference. Make this wonderful town, filled with so many friendly and kind people, free again. But so far, Zone, Watts and Rinoa had failed miserably. The citizens of Timber were too frightened to fight by now. The many resistance groups kept quiet. The Galbadians had full control of the town, and it seemed hopeless. Whenever someone stood up to them, they would be brutally executed for 'opposing the President'. No one could afford losing more loved ones now. No one dared to do anything.

Rinoa felt helpless. The Forest Owls, as she and her little group called themselves, were now the only active group left. They were constantly planning and trying to come up with new ideas, but nothing seemed to work. Right now, Watts was out somewhere 'gathering information', and Zone was at the headquarters looking over the info they already had, to see if there was anything they could do. It was obvious that President Deling wanted to rule the entire Galbadian continent. Rumors said they were planning to invade Dollet next, but that did little good for the Forest Owls. Useful news were as good as non-existent. Galbadia had Timber in an iron grip.

The girl needed to rest. Just a little break, where she could be alone and let her mind wander. Only Angelo was there, faithfully lying by Rinoa's side and closing her eyes in contentment as her owner stroked her fur. Almost unconsciously, Rinoa started humming on one of her mother's songs… The one Julia used to sing for her when she was little.

"You have a pretty voice, little lady. Almost as pretty as your face."

Startled, Rinoa gasped and her brown eyes fluttered open. Angelo was at her paws, growling quietly at the person who had interrupted their peaceful moment. Rinoa gazed at a pair of black shoes… letting her eyes trail upward to a pale coat adorned with a red cross on the arm… before staring straight into cyan colored eyes belonging to the handsome face of a blonde boy.

"Woah, protective thing you've got there," the boy, who seemed to be about Rinoa's age, backed away from the growling dog.

Frowning, Rinoa rose quickly, "Angelo, leave him alone," she ordered, and the dog obeyed, sitting down and watching the boy suspiciously.

"What do you want?" Rinoa asked.

"Nothing, really. I was just passing by, and I figured pretty little ladies such as yourself shouldn't be sitting out here all alone," he smiled in a sly manner that annoyed Rinoa, but at the same time, she found herself strangely attracted to this handsome young man.

"Who are you?"

"Seifer Almasy, at your service, fair lady," Seifer made a quick bow, "May I ask for your name?"

"Rinoa…," the black haired girl answered, a little hesitantly, "Rinoa Heartilly. I… don't think you're from around here?"

He shook his head, "Quite right. I'm a student from Balamb Garden, but right now I'm… on a vacation. I suppose you could call it that," he shrugged, then turned to look behind him, "Those are my posse… Fujin and Raijin."

Rinoa glanced in the same direction as Seifer. She hadn't noticed the strange couple that lagged behind him before now.

"I might be wrong, but it doesn't seem like you're from around here either…," Seifer mused, looking over Rinoa's blue clothed, slim body. My, she was beautiful, "You seem too… I don't know… too spunky to have grown up in a place like this."

Shyly, Rinoa admitted she was from Deling City, and was about to tell him why she was in Timber, when two Galbadian soldiers came walking out of the town, "Um… Do you think we could go somewhere else to talk?" she gazed up at Seifer, and without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked into the city again, Angelo by her side as always.

Seifer followed her to a small café, Fujin and Raijin not too far behind.

"He's all over her, ya know?" Raijin whispered.

"AFFIRMATIVE," Fujin stated, frowning.

… … …

"So… that's what I'm doing here," Rinoa sighed and drank the last drop of her coffee, then leaned her arms on the table. Seifer had been listening all the time, and hadn't it been for that smug expression in his eyes, she would think he actually cared.

"That's… a shame, really," he shrugged, "Nice town like this ruined by a gang of Galbadian bastards."

Rinoa nodded absently, glancing at Fujin and Raijin who were sitting a few tables away from them.

"Do they always stay at a distance?"

"Only when I want them to," Seifer smirked, "They know better than to bother me when I'm with a pretty girl."

Giggling softly, Rinoa waved her hand at him, "Oh, stop it, you flatterer," she shook her head, "Seriously, though… No offense, but they're an odd pair. And such strange names!"

"Fujin and Raijin are just their nick-names. I've never bothered to find out their real ones – no one calls them anything else, anyway," Seifer leaned back in the café chair, "Fujin was in a train accident when she was little. She lost her left eye and her voice was damaged, but otherwise she's fairly normal… And Raijin… Raijin's just Raijin, ya know?" he chuckled, "But it doesn't matter. They're my best friends."

(My only friends…)

"Kind of like me and Zone and Watts, I guess…," Rinoa said quietly. She looked at the boy before her, and for a while, she was completely caught up in his beautiful eyes. Then, realizing she had been staring, she turned away.

Seifer just smiled, "You know… it does sound like you and your little group could need professional help," he said, "…Tell you what. If you lot come up with a really good plan, I'll try to get you in contact with the Garden leaders. It'll cost you… but if we're lucky, they might just be willing to help."

Rinoa's eyes widened, and she was unable to keep her excitement hidden, "Do you really think so?!"

"Sure," Seifer grinned in his characteristic, arrogant manner, "Trust me. I'm in the Disciplinary Committee, I'm sure we can come to an agreement."

Truth was, he doubted Garden would want to help a pathetic, little resistance group consisting of naïve teenagers, but Rinoa's smile made it all worth it. She liked him, he could tell.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Rinoa practically threw herself across the table to hug Seifer, knocking over one of the coffee cups and making a lot of noise, which earned her a few annoyed looks. She didn't mind, though.

Seifer was caught by surprise, but he kept himself cool as always, "You'll take them Galbadians down," he said, accepting the hug and looking into her eyes as she pushed herself away, "I want to see you victorious, and Seifer Almasy always gets it his way."

… … …

Three days later, Seifer and his posse left Timber to return to Garden, and Rinoa was left with the memory of their goodbye lingering in her mind. She had kissed his cheek, and he had promised to speak with the Headmaster as soon as she felt she needed help, before stepping aboard the train.

It is easy to fall in love when you are 16.

Rinoa didn't know yet that things would turn out very differently compared to what she expected.

Chapter 23:

_ _

_ _

_(…Sorceress Edea…)_

_ _

_(No… leave me alone.)_

_ _

_(You can't escape me, Sorceress Edea… I will get it my way, and there is nothing you can do to prevent it.)_

_ _

_(Your sick plans won't work. You will never get Ellone.)_

_ _

_(Time compression is hardly 'sick', my dear Edea… It will be a world where only I and those I choose to come with me may exist. I will rule, and there will be no one to stop me. You can't resist forever, Sorceress Edea. I am getting stronger… and you are getting weaker.)_

_ _

_(Ultimecia… You will never get Ellone. You can try to control me, but I'm too strong, and you know it.)_

_ _

_(Oh, but what if you gave up your mind willingly? I may not be able to control your mind… yet… I can control your body.)_

_ _

Edea's yellow eyes blinked open. No, they were forced open. The Sorceress tried to scream, tried to fight, but she could only watch as her limp body rose from the floor, controlled by an unseen force… Sorceress Ultimecia… Her hands stretched forward, and red light started to gather in her palms…

(No! You can't do this! NO!)

_ _

_(Watch, Edea… Even if I can't get control of your mind, I can control your body to Ellone. I can cast spells upon you until you are dying and then… then you will have to pass on your powers. To Ellone… And once she is a Sorceress…)_

_ _

_(Please… No…)_

_ _

Her arms were pulled backwards, then threw the light forward and it hit the wooden floor of the White SeeD ship's cabin in a mighty Firaga spell. Edea watched in horror as the flames rose. The ship would burn down if she didn't stop it.

(NO! Let go of me! Let go of me!)

_ _

_(Hahahahaha… Feeling helpless, my dear?)_

_ _

_(Ellone will DIE if you don't let me stop this!)_

_ _

_(Hahahahaha… Don't worry, Sorceress Edea. It's still too early. But when I return… please consider my offer… It's your mind or Ellone's.)_

_ _

_(You…)_

_ _

_(The world WILL be mine.)_

_ _

Gasping, Edea fell to the floor. It took her a few seconds to regain her composure, but when she did, she was quickly at her feet and cast a series of Water spells on the fire. Eventually, the fire died down, and the Sorceress sank down into a chair, putting her face in her hands.

A young boy dressed in a White SeeD uniform entered the cabin, followed by two other SeeDs, "Matron! What happened? We saw the smoke, and…"

"No time to explain, my children," Edea shook her head and glanced up at the three of them, "We have little time. You must turn the ship around and place me on the nearest shore. Then, you leave me there and sail the ship as far away from me as you possibly can. Ellone must have full protection under all circumstances. Trust NO ONE, and least of all me."

"But, Matron… We can't…"

"You'll do fine," Edea stood up and put her hands on the boy's shoulders, "Do it for me. Do it for the future, for the world… This is more important than you can imagine. I can't tell you any more than that."

The boy nodded slowly, a somewhat frightened expression on his face.

Edea sighed softly, "And… contact Headmaster Cid of Balamb Garden with the following message…"

"Yes, Matron?"

" …: 'It's starting'."

Chapter 24:

_ _

_ _

… Silence.

It was even more silent than usual. So silent, he could hear himself breathe. Air in, air out… No wind, no birds, no noise, no nothing. It was early. How early? The idle ticking of his watch… he had never even noticed it was ticking before now.

6:05 AM. He still had plenty of time.

So silent, he could hear the alarm clock in the neighboring room. So silent, he could hear the Garden awake around him.

Bobby had failed his written exam for the third time and had given up. Left Garden. There hadn't arrived any new roommate yet.

This was it. Today. This silent morning was the beginning of what he assumed would be the most important day of his life. The SeeD field exam.

But why was it so important? Because this was his final step as a student, and his first step as a fully trained SeeD. 

Why did he want to become a SeeD?

(To earn money. To fight.)

Was that what he wanted? 

(To become better than Seifer.)

Why?

(Because…)

…This had all been forced upon him.

(Whatever.)

Squall swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat there, his back bent forward and his brown hair hanging into his eyes as he stared at the floor. The silver head of Griever dangled from the chain around his neck. Where had he gotten that necklace, anyway? He didn't remember. It didn't matter. It had always been with him.

The matching ring… on his gloved hand. Someone had given it to him. Someone who he cared about… and who cared about him?

No. No such person existed.

It was all bits and pieces in his memory. What had been before Garden? He couldn't remember, no matter how hard he tried. Therefore he pushed it away. It didn't matter. Garden was his home.

(Who… this ring… She left me… No. I think too much.)

Frustrated, the boy shook his head and stood up, pulling on the black leather jacket with the furry collar, then grabbed his gunblade. Even on his blade, Griever was carved in. Pride and strength. Lion. A symbol of what he wanted to be?

6:15 AM. Better early than late. He was going to the Fire Cavern today, to fight the Guardian Force Ifrit. It was his final test before taking the field exam.

So many rules to follow, but he knew them all. He couldn't fail, like Seifer had done two times before.

(Why is this so important to me…?)

(Well, what else is there? If I can't do this, then what?)

(There is nothing else.)

… … …

As Squall walked down the hall from the dormitory, he saw a familiar (All too familiar) boy head in his direction.

White coat flapping behind him, the hyperion gunblade resting on his shoulder, Seifer walked up to his rival. Squall tried to move past and ignore him, but Seifer stepped in his way, "Off to fire cavern already, Squally boy? Isn't that a little early? You should wait 'till sunrise."

"Whatever."

"Are you sure you can do it?" Seifer grinned slyly and leaned back against the fence that separated the hall and the water below, "It's a big and dangerous world out there, Squall… You could use some more…," he swept his gunblade through the empty air, "…practice."

"I don't have time for your games, Seifer."

"Aw, come on. Just an hour of your precious time… I mean, what is Ifrit for a guy like you? Don't you want a _real_ challenge before the field exam?" Seifer titled his head.

Squall hesitated. He couldn't afford being late for his final test, but… one hour of training couldn't do any harm. He had lost count of all the times he and Seifer had fought against each other in the training center. The outcome of each fight varied, but it was possible that Seifer had won more often than Squall.

(Possible? It's the truth.)

(Just one hour…)

"You, me and the gunblades. No GFs, no magic," Squall said quietly.

"Deal. Just don't cry when I beat you, Squally boy," Seifer winked and turned, heading for the training center.

Squall followed shortly behind, his expression frozen in his usual frown.

… It was going to be a more memorable day than he could ever imagine. Squall was walking into what would turn his view of the world upside-down, and into the beginning of a legend.

Headmaster Cid stood nearby, watching the two teenagers walk into the training center. He sighed quietly and looked up through the glass ceiling of the Garden, up at the dark sky that was slowly being lit by dawn, "I think you were right, Edea… They are indeed fated children."

… … …

_Wake from your sleep, my children,_

_The childhood years are gone._

_Wake from your sleep, fated children,_

_The peace is gone._

_ _

_Rise!_

_Search!_

_Go to the true garden,_

_The garden of vernal truth._

_ _

_Fiery truth_

_Burn the evil world._

_Fiery truth_

_Light the dark world._

_ _

_Goodbye, children,_

_The day has died._

_ _

… … …

The End… Or is it the Beginning?


End file.
